Info sought on Essex F-100 Super Sabre incidents.

I’d agree with that – there’s a building in the top corner of the field that coincides with one (sewage pumping station, I think) on the sketch plan of the site.

Could probably check which houses are 1930s (the location and layout in the photo says late 1930s council houses to me), or at least of likely state in style, with Street View, but I think you’ve nailed it.

Adrian

Adrian sounds like you have the right location, if you click the link i have placed the cross roughly where the the main wreckage ended up.

http://www.flashearth.com/?lat=51.940669&lon=0.595826&z=18.3&r=0&src=msl

That looks the crash report that you’d get from the people I posted, I think – just to give you an idea of what you might get (though the ones I’ve got are WW2). Not 100% sure, but I reckon I can pick up the crash site on Google Maps. Look at the curving field boundary, and the two diverging ones on the opposite side of the road, in the first photo.

Now look up Gosfield on GM (try not to get distracted by the ‘drome!). Take the Halstead Road North East out of the village, and look for an estate called Highlands. Just up the road from that, on the other side, you’ll find the field boundaries in the photo. What do you think?

Adrian

Quite a bit on Kelly here http://www.rafwethersfield.com/F100Fcrash.htm

Thanks for taking the time to look into those incidents Paul.. much appreciated. 🙂

Full serials

Sorry, only just had time to look sone of this up…

55-3686 North American F-100D-25-NA Super Sabre (20th FBW/55th FBS) Crashed at Sible Hedingham, England 02-12-1957 shortly after takeoff from Wethersfield. Pilot Lt William S Swofford of Oakland, California killed

NOT 12-02-1957!!!

This may be confusion with

“55-3675 (20th FBW/55th FBS) Crashed into field whilst on approach to Wethersfield AB, England Dec 3, 1957. Pilot killed”

There was definately a crash at Puds Hills near Sible Hedingham Essex on 2nd December 1957 killing Swofford – Reported as ‘yesterday on 3rd Dec’ I believe this is a mis-type for DD-MM-YYYY MM-DD-YYYY.

This is reported here:
http://www.foxearth.org.uk/1956-1957SuffolkFreePress.html

“December 4th 1957
The pilot of an American Super Sabre was killed on Monday when his plane crashed near Sible Hedingham shortly after take off from Wethersfield, rescue workers struggled for an hour to extricate the pilot. “

Monday was the 2th December in 1957…..

The Times also reports a crash at Sible Hedingham on 30th December 1957!

Need someone with Scambles North American Military Accidents to check dates: (DD-MM-YYYY): 02-12-1957, 12-02-1957, 03-12-1957 and 30-12-1957!

55-3677 North American F-100D-25-NA Super Sabre (20th TFW/55th TFS) Crashed near Silver End, England 07-08-1958 following engine failure. Pilot ejected safely

Sorry can’t ID pilot…

56-3991 North American F-100F-15-NA Super Sabre (20th TFW/55th TFS) crashed 15-01-1963 at Gosfield, England; both crew ejected but one did not survive.

Colonel Wendell J Kelly (Deputy Commander of 20th TFW) aged 43 killed
Co-Pilot Lt Paul Briggs ejected and slightly injured on landing

Thanks Adrian. I’m sure those requesting the info will appreciate that.

Presumably you are aware of these guys?

http://www.aviationarchaeology.com/src/reports.htm

I used them 18 months or so ago for two WW2 incidents, and was quite pleased with the cost and speed.

Adrian