Not Sweden, not a T-6 and not 1977. It was at Bex, Switzerland, August 21st, 1978.

The Harvard was taxiing to the runway threshold at the time and had to go around several parked aircraft, entering the active runway (with ‘clearance’ from local improvised ATC). The Spit was taking off at the time (also with ‘clearance’), tail up and then noticed the Harvard in the way. Pilot put the tail down and braced for impact. The pilot of the Harvard IIb broke his leg when he vacated the wreck rather hastily, jumping down.

Accident sequence here: http://www.hdekker.info/Nieuwe%20map/1978.htm#21.08.1978

Lucky escape!

The Harvard was brought back to Holland in 1978 and was stored until 1991 when it was sold to a museum in Graz, Austria, where it is undergoing a long-term restoration to static.

A minor change of engine type alone will not exclude it being the same aircraft. Wouldn’t be the first one modified in service, er even for display purposes…

That photo of the C-47s and DC-3s at Fokker was taken in early 1946 in the Amsterdam-Noord works of the company. Aircraft were brought there by barge from Schiphol for repairs and overhauls. The full series is here: http://www.mobiliteitsmuseum.nl/Fotopag_lucht_omb_Fokker_C-47_46.htm

In your pic to the far right the stabilizer of PH-TBE (just out of view, one of the former Lisbon line DC-3s). The prewar DC-3 to the right of the pic is likely Buizerd in the process of becoming PH-TBD. The C-47 to the left and behind could be one of the 1944 additions to the Lisbon line fleet, but may also just be two of the large number of ‘new’ additions to the KLM fleet. The Leopard Moth the the left in the back is probably the one oeprating under the non existing registration of ML101 in RAF c/s. This was the former PH-VYG that had spent the war hidden away from the Germans disassembled in various locations. It later became PH-NCP.

The Dutch actually were allocated four Ju52s. Only three were registered for further use. The fourth was dismantled for spare parts on arrival.

Re: Great news, people still care

I think it is impossible not to care once you’ve experienced a case like this up close, and have met family members, and seen how a crew member’s death affected generations of family members.

Ursula Hänle’s pioneering work in glassfibre aircraft construction resulted in her being a co-owner and designer of Glasflügel Segelflugzeugbau GmbH. She designed the Salto, among others, and wrote the book “Kleine Fiberglas Flickfibel” that is still used as a manual on glassfibre repairs in gliders.