Haven’t found my scrapbook yet, but you may be interested in this pic that I came across whilst i was looking – must admit i don’t recall this incident, too young at the time!

Looks to be a HP Hermes that has overshot and ended up on the railway track – date on the picture is 10th August 1960 – lucky there were were no trains coming 😮

Jamie, I remember this crash very well. I was at primary school locally having a games lesson on the school field, and recall seeing the plume of thick black smoke that suddenly started coming from the direction of the airport, lasted couple of hours from memory.

Rather ghoulishly, I later went to see the crash site before it was cleared away – the aircraft had come to rest well off to the north side of the runway and had broken up on impact, complete mess, I remember blue and pink pastel coloured seats strewn about amongst the wreckage, & the foam that the fire crews had pumped onto the ‘plane dried white looking like paint on the wings and fuselage.

Looking over the site sometime later, after it had been cleared, I came across a small aluminium panel almost certainly from AVJZ, I still have this somewhere (although not sure exactly where at the moment).

I assume you have already seen the info on aviation safety network (http://www.aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19670503-1)? Another Viscount (G-APPU) came to grief at Southend exactly one year and a day later (http://www.aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19680504-1), almost ending up on the railway line off the end of runway 24.

I think I have clippings from the Southend Standard for both incidents, will take me some time to track them but down will scan and post them if you like.

Me too, for a second look.

Getting back on topic again, this is somewhere I’ve been meaning to get to for a long time, so if the offer is still open, would love to come along – is anyone co-ordinating attendance, or do we just turn up on the day?

Happy to offer a lift to anyone who lives in or around the Southend area – send me an e-mail if you want to take me up on this, but be aware I am now away in the States for three weeks and may not reply until I get back on 23rd November.

This was the best air show I have been to for a long while, thoroughly enjoyed the whole experience (although spent more than I should have at the various stalls – too tempting). Highlights of the day for me – being invited ‘over the barrier’ to climb up & have a look inside the Beafighter, and talk by Clive Denney & Charlie Brown in Hangar 4 on their Merlins over Malta experience – very entertaining.

Of the show itself, agree the USAF put up a poor showing, but compensated by the rest of the bill (although would have liked to have seen the Meteor – what happened to it?). The red bull Matadors gave a superb display, as did the Aerostars, and (from the fence at the ‘Tank Bank’ end) seeing the seven Spits lined up for take off, engines at full chat, was awesome and a fitting finale.

Roll on next year!

Alan T

Mark P.,

I saw this Lincoln on it’s final flight into Southend as I was walking to school (1967?). Recall hearing a multi-engined aircraft, but (as an aircraft mad 10 year old) realised the engine note was very different to the usual Bristol Freighters, Carvairs, Viscounts, etc. Looked up to see what I took at the time to be a Lancaster (had never seen a Lanc before, realised later it was a Linc) giving what seemed to be a spirited display before making it’s landing approach. Can still remember how thrilled I was to see it.

Seem to recall that it was fitted with gun turrets when it arrived? (memory plays tricks, may be the wishful thinking of a schoolboy brought up on WW2 stories!) Subsequently saw the aircraft many times at the Southend Historic Aircraft Museum, & remember work being done on it by the guys at the museum to put it back into it’s ‘Napier Icing Research’ scheme.

Very best of luck with this venture, Mark, hate to think of this airframe corroding away in some forgotten corner, would be great to see her restored to former glory, even if that does mean shipping her out to Oz!

Alan T.