RCAF Mustang Mk I Photo ID

Correction

I guess that I should never doubt Steve B. My apologies Steve.

I have gone back and researched my files and feeling rather embarrassed I have to correct my previous post. The pilot in question is in fact Flt/Lt Jack Taylor of 430 squadron.

I was relying on my father’s memory when he identified a number of years ago, the photo of being of Bill Scherk in 414 squadron. It occurred to me that Steve is the master when it comes to Mustang history so I went back through the files I have on 430 and found a photo of Jack Taylor. He and Bill Scherk do have a close resemblance but when I went through the Operations Record Book and reviewed Bill Scherk’s recorded flights there was no mention of a prang like the one in the photo.

So gentle people, I was wrong in my posted reply.

Cheers, Steve.

Chris

I guess that I’ll have to learn how to add photographs and text properly.

Chris Clarke

While surfing the web I came across this photo, but there were no details!
Anyone know the story.??

Thanks in advance. Duggy

The pilot’s name was Bill Sc[ATTACH=CONFIG]249576[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]249577[/ATTACH]herk who was a Flying Officer with the 414 squadron. They were refitted with Mustang Mk I’s in June/July of 1942. Previously they flew P 40 Tomahawks and Lysanders.

The reason I know this is because my own father Flt/Lt Freddie Clarke was one of the original pilots that made up 414 squadron in August 1941.
My father’s collection of photographs includes the one displayed in the forum and another head shot for personal use.

414 was an Army Co-operation Squadron doing low level oblique reconnaissance photography and observation for the army.
Regards,

Chris Clarke, P. Eng.
Calgary, Alberta, Canada

There’s a lot of wear on the photo of Burtonwood, especially the wing root – is this aircraft being used for training ground crew? It doesn’t seem to have an M number, but I gather these wee not always applied, at least immediately.

Photo came from here.
Link – https://www.fold3.com/image/38271988
So yes it is an instructional air frame.

Thank you Steve
More info here, he also brought down a pylon blocking the Scarborough to York railway line in both directions.
LINK- http://www.yorkshire-aircraft.co.uk/aircraft/planes/ryedale/ag558.html
:applause:

No wonder he looks a bit sheepish!

Adrian

There’s a lot of wear on the photo of Burtonwood, especially the wing root – is this aircraft being used for training ground crew? It doesn’t seem to have an M number, but I gather these wee not always applied, at least immediately.

Thank you Steve
More info here, he also brought down a pylon blocking the Scarborough to York railway line in both directions.
LINK- http://www.yorkshire-aircraft.co.uk/aircraft/planes/ryedale/ag558.html
:applause:

The sheepish looking pilot is F/Lt Jack Taylor of No 430 (RCAF) Sqn. The incident took place on 23/2/44 when 430 Sqn had moved north from Gatwick to Clifton/York to take part in Exercise Eagle with the Canadian Army. So the cable is British and it is logged on the accident card as “HT cable”. The aircraft was Mustang I AG588/Z which although badly damaged, including the underside and the cockpit, was repaired to fly again with No 168 Sqn. After a period on rest Taylor would fly Mustang IIIs with No 19 Sqn after August 1944.

Steve

Came across this site regarding barrage balloon cable collisions
Link – http://www.bbrclub.org/Barrage%20Balloon%20Cable%20Collisions%20with%20Aircraft%20in%20WWII.htm
It would appear more friendly aircraft were hit than enemy !!

Its definitely a Mk I.
For comparison.
Mustang Mark I AG365 of the Air Fighting Development Unit on the ground at Duxford Cambridge.

RAF Mustang I AG411 at RAF Station Burtonwood England.

Thanks for the replies, interesting the balloon theory.

Mustang 1 has no US equivalent. Mustang Mk.IA = P-51 (no suffix) but that had four cannon which I think would be partially visible. Mustang Mk.II = P-51A. As there seems to be a gun visible in the lower nose, I make it a Mustang Mk.I.

I recall that AE Clouston’s biography (The Dangerous Skies, perhaps?) has an account of prewar trials flying into balloon cables with a Northrop (because of its metal structure). I think what we are seeing is that the end of the wire has whipped around and sawn into the trailing edge. The leading edge damage may be less significant and not connected to what’s visible.

Who’s been a lucky boy then? Only just got away with that, by the look of it.

Oh I don’t know, I’ve seen worse at Flying Legends!

Rob

I assumed it to be a baloon cable as it looks too light-weight to be a power cable. The apparently open weave looks unusual to me too, but perhaps that’s how it cuts aircraft parts. On the other hand, the cable has undoubtedly suffered a bit, so perhaps it’s not quite as designed. Whether it’s a ballon cable or not, it’s done the job balloon cables were intended for, in that it’s very nearly sawn through the wing before it snapped. I’d love to see the rest of the wing, behind the pilot, to see the rest of the cut line. Quite apart from the damage to the wing (why didn’t it fall off?), he must have come within an inch or two of wrapping the cable round the propellor.

I stand corrected, the 3 blade prop prompted me !

Thats a P-40 too… Army Co-operation Squadron would be my guess…

Definitely a P-51A/Mustang I, but is that a balloon cable?

Thats a P-40 too… Army Co-operation Squadron would be my guess…

Who’s been a lucky boy then? Only just got away with that, by the look of it.

I see our hero has a Canada shoulder flash, but I can’t see any RCAF Mustangs listed as having had this sort of accident. Maybe he’s with an RAF unit?