Rhos-on-Sea, North Wales 1920s Accident

Can’t hep on ID but I thought first digit it more of an 6 or 8 than 2

However I can help with these two
RAF Bristol Fighter on 20/1/1922.

BRISTOL F.2B FIGHTER J6698 of 4Sqn suffered engine failure, force-landed on delivery from Baldonnel to 5FTS Shotwick, at Rhos-on-Sea, north Wales. Pilot Fg Off G.E. Pratt

Another Bristol crashed at Dyserth a week after the one at Rhos.

BRISTOL F.2B FIGHTER J6706 of 100Sqn force-landed due to lack of fuel en route 5FTS at Dyserth, nr Rhyl, Flint. Fg Off A. Knox Uninjured

You can google the Avro 504

Thanks very much chaps for your valued analysis. The next question is what was it doing on the N Wales coast? Possibly flying from Shotwick, renamed RAF Sealand in June 1924.

His remarks:

The aeroplane is a Sopwith Snipe and its RAF serial is actually F2425, the first digit is hard to read being in black outlined by white on the blue stripe on the rudder.
The Snipe replaced the famous Sopwith Camel from September 1918 and continued in service with the RAF until 1928.
At least two other aircraft crashed in Rhos in 1922. An Avro 504 G-EABX on 18/8/1922, and an RAF Bristol Fighter on 20/1/1922. Another Bristol crashed at Dyserth a week after the one at Rhos. None of these fit the aeroplane in the film.

I’d agree Snipe – at 0.05 you can also make out the larger alierons that post-war Snipes had, however I can’t reconcile that first digit as a ‘2’

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Possibly wrongly serials, which was not unknown

A comment on the original Daily Post story identifies it as a Snipe F2425. The contributor RobG writes with some authority, although as a one-time staff writer on the Daily Post myself I also know how the air of authority can be misleading!

His remarks:

The aeroplane is a Sopwith Snipe and its RAF serial is actually F2425, the first digit is hard to read being in black outlined by white on the blue stripe on the rudder.
The Snipe replaced the famous Sopwith Camel from September 1918 and continued in service with the RAF until 1928.
At least two other aircraft crashed in Rhos in 1922. An Avro 504 G-EABX on 18/8/1922, and an RAF Bristol Fighter on 20/1/1922. Another Bristol crashed at Dyserth a week after the one at Rhos. None of these fit the aeroplane in the film.

It’s a Snipe rudder – at ~1.26 shows that it has a balance on the rudder – the Camel had a straight rudder leading edge.

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But the side view of the rudder does seem to suggest F6425 or F8425 as serial – none of which are Snipes! Need to check if any late service Camels had Snipe rudders

Thanks Adrian, that’s a good suggestion. Only six Camels which lasted till the 1920s are listed in the book so it looks like F6425 can be added to the total.

Looks to me like it’s F6425, which would make it a Camel. The fin and rudder certainly have a Sopwith look to them.

I noticed that too. Perhaps it was too well soaked to present a danger, although I wouldn’t bank on it!

What made me smile was all those gents poring over the crashed aeroplane with cigarettes hanging out of their mouths. ‘Can anyone smell petrol …..?’!