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Aircraft by type - still being constructed |
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EJECTIONS and LOSSES Gloster Javelin Mk.1 - Mk.9 |
| Date |
Air Force |
A'cft | Unit / Serial |
based |
crashed | crew | photo | seat |
![]()
no
ejection |
![]() Typical publicity of the period |
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| 29th June 1952 |
Gloster Aircraft Co |
Gloster Javelin (P)1 | WD804 |
Moreton Valance / RAF Boscombe Down |
High speed trials at 3,OOOft. Violent flutter was experienced when flying at 535 knots near Brize Norton. Lost on 99th flight during development work. Landed at RAF Boscombe Down | |||
| 11th June 1953 |
Gloster Aircraft Co. |
Javelin 5 (P) | WD808 | Moreton Valance / RAF Boscombe Down | entered a ‘super-stall’ over Blax Bourton, Glos crashed in field at Ashton Court Park near Bristol |
Lt. Peter G. Lawrence MBE ejected at 400ft agl and landed some 300
yards from the wreckage in the ejection seat - fatal injuries |
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Martin-Baker Mk.3J |
| Lawrence, delayed his ejection in order to ensure that the aircraft would land on open ground - parachute was unable to open in time - fatal | ||||||||
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Prototype and early versions of the Javelin were fitted with the Martin-Baker Mk 2 fully automatic ejection seat. |
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| 21 OCTOBER 1954 | Javelin FAW.1 | XA546 | RAE Farnborough (attached to Glosters). | Did not recover from low level spin, aircraft crashed 11 minutes after take in the Bristol Channel off Weston super‑Mare |
no
ejection Flt Lt Robert James Ross lost with aircraft. Body not recovered |
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| 8th December 1955 |
RAF |
Gloster Javelin Mk.1 | XA561 |
M.O.S Aeroplane & Armament Experimental Establishment (A & AEE), Boscombe Down |
Control lost at 45,000ft.
aircraft entered a Bat spin
near Rowborough
Corner, between Ryde and Sandown, Isle of Wight |
Pilot
Sqn. Ldr. A. David Dick ejected from spinning
aircraft at 8,000 ft. FIRST USE OF [Martin-Baker Mk.3] |
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Martin-Baker Mk.3J |
| Feb 1956 | Gloster Javelin all-weather fighter enters service with No. 46 Sqn, Odiham | |||||||
| 12‑Jun‑56 |
RAF |
Javelin FAW.1 | XA570 |
46 Sqn RAF Odiham |
Crashed on GCA approach |
no
ejection Pilot Wing Commander Frank Edward Walter BIRCHFIELD OBE AFC killed in crash |
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|
no
ejection Navigator Flying Officer Brian CHAMBERS killed in crash |
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| 24th August 1956 |
Gloster Aircraft Co Moreton Valence |
Gloster Javelin FAW.4 | XA644 | Mid‑air collision at a closing speed of 920 knots at 10,000ft over Wotton‑under Edge, Gloucestershire when HUNTER F.4 XF980 sliced through the Javelin's under fuselage. Hunter pilot ejected seriously injured | Mr E. B.Smith (Test Pilot) involuntarily ejected by collision seat was damaged and the shroud lines severed and he was killed on impact with the ground | Martin-Baker Mk.3J | ||
| Flt Lt R. E. Jeffries (Navigator) involuntarily ejected by collision sustained minor injuries | Martin-Baker Mk.3J | |||||||
| Another advert for the Martin-Baker Mk 2 fully automatic ejection seat
|
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| 25‑May‑57 |
RAF |
Javelin FAW.4 | XA732 |
74 Sqn RAF Horsham St Faith |
'you're on fire' front attachment on one of the "bosom" tanks failed and the tank (full of fuel) began to drag on the ground, the tank burst and caught fire. Aircraft was stopped. |
no
ejection Both crew quickly escaped from the aircraft |
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| 1 Jul 57 |
Gloster Aircraft Co |
Javelin FAW.2 | XA799 |
Gloster Aircraft Co Moreton Valence |
Production test flight, crashed on landing due to incorrect assembly of the undercarriage lowering mechanism |
no
ejection Pilot unknown escaped from aircraft - no injuries |
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| 06‑Dec‑57 |
AWDS |
Javelin FAW.5 | XA642 | AWDS | During air test after an engine change, double flame out reported crashed into the sea 10 miles off Skegness |
no
ejection Pilot Flight Lieutenant Arthur WRIGHT killed in crash |
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|
no
ejection Navigator Flight Lieutenant Reginald ASHWORTH killed in crash |
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| 11th February 1958 |
RAF |
Javelin FAW4 | XA734 | 23Sqn | Aircraft suffered an engine fire. Crashed near Wymondham, Norfolk |
Flg. Off. F. Hugh B. Stark
ejected [see also 1st September 1959] |
Martin-Baker Mk.3J | |
|
Flg. Off. Peter Baigent
ejected [see also 1st September 1959] |
Martin-Baker Mk.3J | |||||||
| 26th February 1958 |
Gloster AC |
Javelin FAW7 | XH714 | A&AEE | Crashed in the New Forest, Near Kingston, Hants | Pilot Flt Lt Richard Stephen May was inadvertently ejected at 5,OOOft killed | Martin-Baker Mk.3JT | |
| Navigator Flying Officer John Vernon M. COATES ejected at 2,OOOft, was killed | Martin-Baker Mk.3J | |||||||
| 12‑May‑58 |
RAF |
Javelin FAWI | XA625 | 87 Sqn RAF Bruggen | The aircraft was damaged seriously by a start up fire | no ejection | ||
| 5th June 1958 |
RAF |
Javelin FAW Mk 1 | XA 558 |
87 Sqn RAF Bruggen |
gentle spiral descent, fuel starvation to both engines caused by separate mechanical failures - the starboard engine failed at 6000 feet followed by the port engine during the final stages of the final approach 11 miles south east ofBruggan |
PilotFlight Lieutenant James Ernest Breakwell (died) (chute not fully deployed) | Martin-Baker Mk.3J | |
| Flg. Off. J. J. Jackson | Martin-Baker Mk.3J | |||||||
| 11th July 1958 |
RAF |
Javelin Mk 4 | XA 751 |
41 Sqn RAF Wattisham |
Flat spin, crashed 1 1/4 miles north west of RAF Wattisham | |||
|
Captain E TAYLOR USAF ejected outside seat envelope - parachute did not have time to deploy - killed |
Flt. Lt. B. Bedford ejected at about 600 feet |
Martin-Baker Mk.3J | ||||||
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FEEDBACK 1 |
Javelin at
Wattisham on
“Oscar “ Wild |
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FEEDBACK 2 |
XA751 Javelin Crash at RAF Wattisham 11 July 1958
As an RAF Firman, I was on duty
as the Mk5 Crash Tender Driver on the day of the above crash. My Mk5 was the second vehicle to arrive at the crash site (the first was our Crash Land Rover driven by Corporal Horlock), and we immediately attempted to extinguish any fire, thinking one of the crew was still in the wreckage, but I was then advised that the second seat had fired, but too low and the crew member (the pilot), had been killed. I was put on standby for the "Court of Enquiry" but I was never called.
Geoff Varley |
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| 11th July 1958 |
RAF |
Javelin FAW4 | XA725 | A massive explosion and fire occurred after start up |
no
ejection Flt Lt B..I.Noble `A' Sqn, A&AEE [see also 31st‑Jul‑59] |
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| 22‑Jul‑58 |
RAF |
Javelin FAW1 | XA559 | 87 Sqn RAF Bruggen | severely damaged following an engine explosion during start up | no ejection | ||
| 19‑Sep‑58 |
RAF |
Javelin FAW2 | XA779 | 89 Sqn RAF Stradishall | aircraft stalled in turn entered a flat spin and crashed into the ground |
no
ejection Pilot Flight Lieutenant Derek Herbert KENNEY |
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|
no
ejection Navigator Flying Officer Gordon Randal LEWIS |
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| FEEDBACK |
I have just found the site - what a memory! On 19th. September 1958 I observed the Mk5 Javelin go in during their turn at the eastern end of the runway (forget the bearing no.). A most horrifying sight for a young "nasho"; especially as I was the watch radar fitter in the Gilfillan ancpn4 gca unit at the other end of the field. The website has brought it all back to me vividly - always thought about it - regret the loss so suddenly - the noise and the fireball was stupendous. Just thought this might be of interest. Quite soon after this I happened to be posted on to RAF Chivenor. Regards,
Mick Bright |
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| 20th September 1958 |
RAF |
Javelin Mk 5 | XA 648 | C.F.E. |
recovering from a dive, the aircraft stalled and could not be controlled, crashed 3 miles west south west of Fakenham |
Sqn. Ldr. G. P. Kingston ejected | Martin-Baker Mk.3J | |
| Nav Fl/Lt A T Morgan - did he eject ??? | Martin-Baker Mk.3J | |||||||
| 9 OCTOBER 1958 |
RAF |
Javelin | XH757 | `A' Sqn, A&AEE (Detached to Kano, Nigeria for tropical trials). Hydraulic problems, bounced on landing lost part of undercarriage. |
no
ejection Flt Lt B.W.Dodd - OK |
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|
no
ejection Flt Lt J.S.Pudwel - OKl |
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| 22nd December 1958 |
RAF |
Javelin FAW.2 | XA778 | defect in the control system components, tailplane control went stiff | Sqn Ldr L.C.Gregory recovered control of the aircraft and landed successfully | Martin-Baker Mk.3J | ||
| navigator Flt Lt A. T. Morgan (Gloster, Moreton Valence) ejected, at 11,500ft at 330 knots struck high tension cables during the descent causing a bad landing in which he dislocated a wrist and broke two ribs | Martin-Baker Mk.3J | |||||||
| 18th February 1959 |
RAF |
Javelin FAW-1 | XA569 | 87 Sqnr RAF Bruggen | flying level but with a slight nose up attitude and a little negative 'g' applied with a speed of 0.75 Mach Near Bruggen | Martin-Baker Mk.3J | ||
|
Flt. Lt. Richard
"Dick" A. J. Carrey ejected |
Flt. Lt. Alec Cooper - ejection seat problems -secondary firing handle safety pin not removed unsuccessful - fatall | Martin-Baker Mk.3J | ||||||
| 09‑Mar‑59 |
RAF |
Javelin FAW2 | XA802 | 46 Sqn RAF Sylt | Engine explosion on start up | no ejections | ||
| 20‑Jun‑59 |
RAF |
Javelin FAW4 | XA750 | 3 Sqn | Aircraft stalled and spun into the ground 2 miles north west of Norvenich | |||
|
no
ejection Pilot Flight Lieutenant Wilfred Smith JACQUES |
no
ejection Navigator Flying Officer David Alexander RITCHIE |
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| 07‑Jul‑59 |
RAF |
Javelin FAW4 | XA722 | 72 Sqn RAF Leconfield | damage received after engine failure in flight | no ejections ) | ||
| 9th July 1959 |
RAF |
Javelin FAW Mk7 | XH 750 | 33 Sqdn RAF Horsham St Faith | Caught fire after being struck by lightning 5 miles west of RAF Horsham St. Faith | Martin-Baker Mk.3J | ||
| Pilot Fl/Lt Jack Buckley ejected | Nav Sergeant D. U. Epe ejected | Martin-Baker Mk.3J | ||||||
| 31st‑Jul‑59 |
RAF |
Javelin FAW7 | XH789 | 64 Sqn RAF Akrotiri | emergency landing, starboard undercarriage leg refused to lower, the aircraft overshot the runway | |||
|
no
ejection Flt Lt B J Noble [see also 11th July 1958] |
no
ejection Flt Lt J Pudwell, |
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| 19th August 1959 |
|
Javelin FAW.8 | XH967 | `A' Sqn, A&AEE. |
Performance trial, Partial engine failure in flight safe single‑engine landing made |
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| 1st September 1959 |
RAF |
Javelin FAW7 | XH775/E | 23 Sqn | collided with XH781/J of 23 Sqn during night interception near Brundall, Norfolk | Martin-Baker Mk.3J | ||
|
Flg. Off. F. H. B. Stark [see also 11th February 1958] |
Flg. Off. P. Baigent [see also 11th February 1958] |
Martin-Baker Mk.3J | ||||||
|
1st September 1959 |
RAF |
Javelin FAW7 | XH781/J | 23 Sqn | mid air collision at night with XH775/E Brundall Norfolk |
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|
no ejection |
no ejection Navigator Sergeant Graham Anthony John SPRIGGS killed |
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| 29th September 1959 |
RAF |
Javelin FAW5 | XA662/N | 228 OCU | Engine Fire near Leeming following double engine failure, crashed 30 miles west of RAF Leeming | Martin-Baker Mk.3J | ||
| Student Pilot F/O C P Cowper ejected |
Navigator Capt R Nietz [USAF] ejected |
Martin-Baker Mk.3J | ||||||
| FEEDBACK |
Slight mistake in the 228 OCU crash
in 1959. Captain Bob Neitz USAF was the navigator and Fg Off Cowper was the
(student) pilot. |
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| 14‑Oct‑59 |
RAF |
Javelin FAW7 | XH720 | 33 Sqn RAF Nicosia | Undercarriage collapsed on landing | no ejections (details to be confirmed) | ||
| 9th March 1960 |
RAF |
Javelin FAW.8 | XH988/X |
41 Sqdn |
Electrical failure, crashed at Carleton, near Carlisle | Martin-Baker 3JS | ||
| Sqn. Ldr. R. Lydall ejected at 2,000ft at 250 knots suffered slight injuries |
Flt. Lt. M. Gill ejected at 2,000ft at 250 knots suffered slight injuries |
Martin-Baker 3JS | ||||||
| 08‑Apr‑60 | Javelin FAW4 | XA640 | 3 Sqn RAF Geilenkirchen West Germany | Overshot into a wood after the nosewheel jammed | no ejections | |||
| 21st May 1960 |
RAF |
Javelin Mk 6 | XA 823 |
29 Sqdn |
Mid air collision with Javelin XA835, crashed North East of Scarborough |
|
Martin-Baker Mk.3J | |
|
Fl. Lt. J. S. Wilson ejected and
suffered slight spinal injuries |
F. Off. E. Wood ejected and suffered
slight spinal injuries |
Martin-Baker Mk.3J | ||||||
| 21st May 1960 |
RAF |
Javelin Mk 6 | XA 835 |
29 Sqdn |
Mid air collision with Javelin XA823 in North Sea, North West of Hartlepoo | Martin-Baker Mk.3J | ||
| Fl. Lt D. J. Wyborn ejected (2nd ejection) | Fl. Lt. J.S. Clark ejected | Martin-Baker Mk.3J | ||||||
| 27‑Oct‑60 | Javelin | XA754 | no ejections (details to be confirmed) | |||||
| 29‑Jun‑60 |
RAF |
Javelin FAW5 | XA706 | 2280CU RAF Leeming | Forced landed after electrical failure | no ejections | ||
| 20‑Sep‑60 |
RAF |
Javelin FAW7 | XH838 | 33 Sqn RAF Middleton St George | tyre burst on take off - Undercarriage leg collapsed | no ejections | ||
| 27-Oct-60 |
RAF |
Javelin FAW4 | XA754 | 72 Sqn RAF Leconfield | Jet pipe split during engine run up | no ejections | ||
| 21‑Nov‑60 |
RAF |
Javelin FAW6 | XA825 |
29 Sqn |
Flew into side of Bowbeet Hill whilst descending in cloud 4 Miles North East Peebles | (details to be confirmed) | (details to be confirmed) | |
|
no
ejection Pilot Flight Lieutenant Victor Leslie HILL |
no
ejection Navigator Flight Lieutenant John Michael KNIGHT |
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| FEEDBACK & QUESTION |
I just found your website whilst searching for articles
regarding a Gloster Javelin crash in November 1960 in the Moorfoot Hills
in which the two crew were killed. I thought you might be interested in a
recent post on PPRUNE which suggests that the accident was the result of
an engine malfunction and that the crew ejected at high speed and low
altitude once the a/c had been directed away from populated areas. The
post states that the crew did not survive the ejection, presumably because
the a/c was too low, too fast, or both, at the time of ejection. |
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- just found your site which has led me to walk over a few graves! I can add some pertinent detail to the 21st November 1960 accident at RAF Leuchars when Vic Hill and John Knight flew into a hill near Peebles. I was Nav/Rad in the second aircraft of that pair. The Nav/Rad leader on 29 was Sqn Ldr Ted Dexter and he wanted some figures on a max rate descent from (probably) 40,000 ft. Both aircraft were to fly to altitude NE of Leuchars and one was to descend on a southerly heading and the other on - I can't remember! My aircraft (haven't got my logbook to hand so can't give the pilot) was going to do the southerly descent but for some reason we swapped with Vic Hill and John Knight. The swap regrettably killed them and they flew straight into the ground. Great website - makes me long for those days! Regards
Brian Wilton
(longtime ex Flt.Lt.) |
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| 02‑Mar‑61 |
RAF |
Javelin FAW4 | XA752 |
72 Sqn RAF Leeming |
Barrier raised in error and aircraft struck it | no ejections (details to be confirmed) | ||
| 12‑Apr‑61 |
RAF |
Javelin | XA813 |
46 Sqn RAF Waterbeach |
Jet pipe fracture, heat damage | no ejections (details to be confirmed) | ||
| 02‑May‑61 |
RAF |
Javelin | XA803 | DETAILS ?? | no ejections | |||
| 04‑May‑61 |
RAF |
Javelin FAW5 | XH692 |
228 OCU RAF Leeming |
Caught fire on landing | no ejections | ||
|
3 Jul 61 |
RAF |
Javelin FAW.9 |
XH839 |
Cat 3 |
no ejections | |||
| 5th August 1961 |
RAF |
Javelin FAW9 | XH791 | 60 Sqn |
ferry flight from Waterbeach to
Tengah, Singapore. Primary cause was centreline closure of the starboard engine while climbing through about 33,000 ft Crashed into jungle near the Ganges Delta, India |
Flt. Lt Edward "Ted" Owens | Martin-Baker Mk.3JS | |
| Master Nav A. "Tony" Melton | ||||||||
|
IIRC, the Nav in XH 791 (the Indian crash) was Tony MELTON, not Mehon.
We were called into the Embassy on, I believe, a Sunday, to cover the
incident. Some time later, in Northern Burma, we met the Pakistani pilot
(and his Grumman Goose) who had alighted on the river (no mean feat!!)
to pick him up. |
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| 29th August 1961 |
RAF(G) |
Javelin FAW8 | XH971 |
41 Sqn RAF Geilenkirchen |
break up of airframe during formation break - following structural failure |
Pilot Flt. Lt. John Lawrence Hatch - spontaneous ejection - killed | Martin-Baker Mk.3JS | |
| Navigator Flt. Lt. John Charles Patrick Nothall - spontaneous ejection - killed | Martin-Baker Mk.3JS | |||||||
| 26th October 1961 |
RAF |
Javelin FAW9 | XH906/Q | 25 Sqn | collision 2.5 miles north of Akrotiri with Canberra B2 WD995 of 32 Sqd.. | P.O. R. H. Lloyd ejected successufully at 500ft | Martin-Baker Mk.3JS | |
|
N.E.A.F. Nav.
F/L J Morris was killed following spontaneous
ejection during ground impact following mid-air collision |
Martin-Baker Mk.3JS | |||||||
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| 27th November 1961 |
RAF |
Javelin FAW9 | XH878/R | 64 Sqn | Hydraulics failed, controls seized near Waterbeach, Cambs | Sqn. Ldr. Saunders-Davies ejected | Martin-Baker Mk.3JS | |
| Flt. Lt. P. Doughterty ejected | ||||||||