Aircraft type ID please

Thanks David,
That was from the DH4/9 file.
Hepple is in Northumberland not Northants.

This is the 2nd aircraft I have researched which is recorded as Northants…..the joys of typo’s

Regards
Chris

I’m not sure what the E77 refers to but it is listed here on the 14 October 1920 ;
http://www.orpheusweb.co.uk/vicsmith/OldAccs/Oct20.html .

Well, I am back.
My D.H.4/D.H.9 file arrived from Air Britain.

It would appear G-EAEW had nothing to do with Northumberland or Newcastle.

I did find another D.H.4 serial no. F5783 which crashed on approach to Newcastle, plenty in the local papers.

The one that matches mine is A D.H.9A “E77” (no serial no.) can anyone advise as to what “E77” is.

Regards
Chris

For the G-EAEW Registration,
ASN have that there was 1 fatality?

I will contact the owner of the photo to see if there are any family rumours

To me it appears that the serial is there on the rudder, just rather indistinct. As has been shown recently on another thread (regarding a Spitfire) there are those who have experience manipulating a good high quality scan of a photo to bring out ‘lost’ detail in highlights or shadows. I don’t count myself in that brigade, but someone might want to alert the experts that can – providing that the original is available for a high res scan.

Just a thought to keep this interesting thread running!

You will be hard-pushed to find this one by conventional means (local newspaper, RAFM Casualty Card, TNA WO339 record, TNA Unit records etc): if there was no crew injury then there will be little likelihood of an extant record. On occasion there might be a local newspaper mention or something in unit records (if they exist – but unlikely if it’s a Training Squadron).

Of course that presupposes that you know the location of the crash to find the correct newspaper; or the correct unit to locate the right records to seek.

I have a number of similar photos for this period, for which I know the home aerodrome but can still find no loss date/circumstances/crew names.

It’s also possible that this DH.4/DH.9 was repaired, and therefore if there was no crew injury then there will be pretty much no likelihood of identifying it.

Then I am at a loss,
I have no other DH4 for Northumberland.
Location may be recorded as Morpeth/Rothbury

Regards

In my view military would be more likely, although at the time civil marks were applied to ex military aircraft without much in the way of repainting taking place.

Had a look at the A/B 1919 -1928 register publication. G-EAEW is listed as follows:- AIRCO D.H.4R K-141 Aircraft Transport and Travel Ltd. No C.of A. Racer only at Hendon meetings. Marks cancelled in June 1920 and aircraft scrapped.

Does not look a very good “fit” to me.

Would the tail markings
suggest military or civilian.

I have a vague mention of a DH G-EAEW 4 02/10/19 nr. Newcastle (Aircraft Transport and Travel) possible but I have no details
Regards
Chris

After looking at a pair of three-view drawings, it looks like a DH4/9 to me.
The shape of the tail surfaces seem to be spot-on, including the wire arrangement. Also, the surviving left wing struts are a match for the broad units used in those types.

The relative closeness to the tail of what appears to be the rear cockpit leads me to think it may be a 9, as the drawings I have seem to show the latter aircraft having a more rearward back cockpit.

I would agree that tha tail and ‘cockpit’ look about right for a DH4. My first impression of a triplane is that the distance between the less damaged wing looks too short, and I had assumed it was a single seater, but Im no expert.

If it is a Sopwith Triplane,
it would appear (according to the ‘tinternet’) that the aircraft was mainly for RNAS with around 150 being built.

This may or may not help

The DH 4 does look to be the more similar tail.
Anyone got a copy of the AB DH 4 / DH 9 book, it is one of the handful I do not have.

Regards

Have to agree, looks more likely. Does not look like triplane to me…….

DH.4/9 I think.

Hi Rob,

Any idea of a date range and if possible Serial No. Range?

Regards
Chris

Looks like a Tri-plane to me, although the tail looks different from the Shuttleworth Sopwith example? The Sopwith triplane did serve with No.2 School of Aerial Fighting and Gunnery at Marske near Redcar so that may well tally?
Rob