RAF_LEUCHARS

Airbases: RAF Leuchars

Ejections
RAF Leuchars

Please note that for the next few weeks losses were there was no ejection will be listed - mainly for the purposes of ensuring that I have listed all known losses with aircraft fitted with ejection seats and not omitted any ejections

Date	Air Force	A'cft	Unit - Serial	Squadron	crashed	crew	photo	seat
28th August 1964	RAF	Lightning F3	XP704	74 Sqn	Spun Into ground during aerobatic display practice	Flight Lieutenant Glyn Owens ejected at too low an altitude outside the seats envelope		Martin-Baker
19th January 1951	RAF	Meteor F8	VZ469	43 Sqn	aircraft struck the ground North‑east of RAF Leuchars returning from a sortie at very low height at dusk	no ejection Flying Officer Malcolm Frederick Danton killed
29th June 1951	RAF	Vampire F3	VF341	608 Sqn	Probably dived into the sea at high speed and at a steep angle off RAF Leuchars	no ejection Sergeant Eric Thompson Yarrow
17th August 1952	RAF	Vampire NF10	WM663	151 Sqn	struck the sea during a low level practice interception at night	no ejection Pilot Sergeant Nicholas Ian Howe killed
17th August 1952	RAF	Vampire NF10	WM663	151 Sqn		no ejection Navigator Sergeant Esmond Henry George Brookes
8th July 1953	RAF	Meteor T7	WA735		hood opened fully as the pilot was attempted to land near Leuchars	no ejection Group Captain Norman Arthur Napier Braydec killed	NO EJECTION SEATS FITTED TO T7s
24th July 1954	RAF	Meteor F8	WE897	43 Sqn	involved in a mid air collision with WL114 1 miles north west of RAF Leuchars	no ejection Flying Officer Hugh Johnstone Gourley killed
24th July 1954	RAF	Meteor F8	WL114	43 Sqn	involved in a mid air collision with WE897 1 miles north west of RAF Leuchars	Flying Officer F R Bennett ejected safely through the canopy		Martin-Baker
22nd October 1954	RAF	Hunter Fl	WT590	43 Sqn	struck the ground after the engine failed on the approach	no ejection Pilot ???
16th November 1954	RAF	Hunter F.1	WT589	43 Squadron	Engine flamed out at 1,500' after pilot completed a QGH approach to Leuchars. aircraft crashed into St. Andrew's Bay 6 and a half miles east of the airfield	Sgt. Pilot Walter Alfred Wilding ejected	via Ben Wilding	Martin-Baker Mk.2H
14th June 1955	RAF	Hunter Fl	WT644	43 Sqn	Struck the ground West of air base	no ejection Pilot Officer John Stephan Murray killed		Martin-Baker
12th July 1955	RAF	Hunter F1	WT581	43 Sqn	ran out of fuel at the end of andair test including aerobatics and manual landings	Flying Officer Alan MacKillop Watkinson ejected at low altitude and did not separate from the seat.		Martin-Baker
19th April 1956	RAF	Hunter F1	WW599	43 Sqn	Nosewheel problems so was returning to circuit. Engine failure crashed near air base	Flying Officer J A H Anderson ejected about 300 feet safely		Martin-Baker
19th January 1956	RAF	Hunter Fl	WT623	43 Sqn	Disappeared from radar DETAILS ???	Pilot Officer William Sutherland Carmichael killed	no ejection ??
25th March 1957	RAF	Hunter F4	WV388	222 Sqn	During night flying disappeared from the radar and crashed into the sea, 11 miles east of Leuchars	Flying Officer Raymond John Davidson killed	no ejection ??
28th June 1957	RAF	Hunter F.4	XF997	RAF Leuchars	Emergency landing	Flt Lt Heron stayed with the plane and was not injured no ejection		Martin-Baker
FEEDBACK	Ref Hunter F.4 XF997 I saw your web site and this one caught my eye. In 1957 I was eleven and used to visit my sister who lived in ERROL As you probably know there is a disused airfield there. I was walking from Errol towards the airfield when I noticed a Hunter had invaded the orchard at the east end of the airfield. I didn't get a close look so I dont know if wheels were up or down. The Hunter was finally lifted off on the back of a lorry. The pilot was I believe unharmed Hope this is of use to you Enjoy your site Bill BCUM RAF LEUCHARS in email 18th December 2007
FEEDBACK	Re Hunter F.4 XF997 from RAF Leuchars which put down at the disused drome at Errol, just across the River Tay from its base, the pilot stayed with the plane and was not injured. His name was Fl Lt Heron, as I recall from newspaper reports. Ron Ross in email 8th February 2008
21st February 1962	RAF	Canberra B2	WJ582	Met R 1	Flew into sea on approach to Leuchars	Pilot Fg Off H Marshall	details of escape appreciated -	Martin-Baker
						Nav Flt Lt D H Gannon
						AMO Alan Locke
	A former colleague ejected from a Canberra after an undershoot at Leuchars many many years ago, the interesting part was that the aircraft was on the seabed at the time and his survival was nothing short of a miracle. He was in the Met Research Canberra that crashed in 1962. His injuries were substantial and I recall he was given the last rights but he survived. His name was Alan ?????? B. FRaser in a reply from PPRuNe 28th November, 2006
	MRF Canberra that crashed at Leuchars in 1962. Crashed Leuchars 21 Feb 1962. Pilot Fg Off H Marshall, Nav Flt Lt D H Gannon (Wartime Pathfinder Mosquito Nav and Canberra London New Zealand Air Race Record Holder, died 2006), AMO Alan Locke Wg Cdr J V Squires AE (ex MRF AMO) OCMMU RAF Scampton in email 5th March 2007
19th August 1964	RAF	Javelin T3	XH437	23 Sqn	Caught fire during start up	no ejection pilot egressed safely		Martin-Baker
28th August 1964	RAF	Javelin FAW9	XH845	23 Sqn	Caught fire after engine failure on take off	??????		Martin-Baker
7th September 1967	RAF	Lightning F6	XR766	23 Sqn	failed to recover from spin, crashed51m East‑north‑east of air base	Squadron Leader Ron Blackburn ejected		Martin-Baker
11th October 1966	RAF	Javelin FAW9	XH958	2280CU	Undercarriage jammed. Crashed on landing	fate of pilot ???		Martin-Baker
29th November 1968	RAF	Lightning	XM174	TTF	Engine fire. Crashed near Leuchars	Flight Lieutenant E C Rawcliffe ejected [second ejection]		Martin-Baker
5th March 1970	RAF	Lightning F6	XS918	11 Sqn	in flight fire. 9m E RAF Leuchars	Flight Lieutenant Anthony David DOIDGE ejected but died of exposure		Martin-Baker
28th April 1971	RAF	Lightning F6	XS938	23 Sqn	Fuel fire after take off, 12m East of RAF Leuchars	Flying Officer Scott Mclean ejected		Martin-Baker
15th October 1973	RAF	Phantom	XT869 c/n 8704/2623	892 Sqn '002/R'	crashed in Tentsmuir Forest near Leuchars	Lt .TJ. I. Hooton ejected at 400 feet slightly injured		Martin-Baker
15th October 1973	RAF	Phantom	XT869 c/n 8704/2623	892 Sqn '002/R'	crashed in Tentsmuir Forest near Leuchars	Lt D Lortshek USN ejected at 400 feet slightly injured		Martin-Baker
4th March 1977	RAF	Phantom	V588 c/n 9342/3346	892 Sqn '004/R'	Caught fire on pairs take‑of, ran into overrun cable,	F/Lt S Riley RAF ejected, minor injuries		Martin-Baker
4th March 1977	RAF	Phantom	V588 c/n 9342/3346	892 Sqn '004/R'	Caught fire on pairs take‑of, ran into overrun cable,	F/O T Newby RAF ejected, minor injuries		Martin-Baker
21st November 1977	RAF	Phantom		43 Sqn				Martin-Baker
21st November 1977	RAF	Phantom		43 Sqn		Flt. Lt. Steve W. Gyles ejected	Flt. Lt. Andy Moir ejected	Martin-Baker
12th May 1978	RN	Phantom FG.1	XT868 R000 c/n 8703/2602	892 Sqn '008/R'	starboard wingtip hit the ground , cartwheeled on approach Leuchars during last Naval flight of a Phantom at Leuchars, Fife. One crew member was killed in the crash			Martin-Baker
			XT868 R000 c/n 8703/2602	892 Sqn '008/R'		Cdr. C. C. N. Davies ejected seriously injured	observer Lt J Gavin ejected but killed
			Click here to see the FEEDBACK ON THIS MISHAP
23rd November 1978	RAF	Phantom FG1	XV598	111 Sqn	Flew into sea during approach	no ejection Flight Lieutenant Christopher John Jones killed
23rd November 1978	RAF	Phantom FG1	XV598	111 Sqn	Flew into sea during approach	no ejection Flight Lieutenant Michael Hardy Stephenson killed
9th July 1981	RAF	Phantom FG1	XT866	43 Sqn	ADI failed on finals at night	Squadron Leader Ray Dixon ejected safely		Martin-Baker
9th July 1981	RAF	Phantom FG1	XT866	43 Sqn	ADI failed on finals at night	Flying Officer Matt Syndercombe ejected safely		Martin-Baker
20th April 1988	RAF	Phantom FG1	XT860	43 Sqn	Flew into sea during Exercise Elder Forest	no ejection Flight Lieutenant Philip Donald Clarke killed
20th April 1988	RAF	Phantom FG1	XT860	43 Sqn	Flew into sea during Exercise Elder Forest	no ejection Flight Lieutenant Kevin John Poysden killed
Friday 14th October 2005 17:45h	RAF	Tornado F3	ZE962 / XC nr 35	111 Sqn	crashed into the sea off the east coast of Scotland shortly after taking off from its base			Martin-Baker 10A
Friday 14th October 2005 17:45h	RAF	Tornado F3	ZE962 / XC nr 35	111 Sqn		Flt. Lt. Sam Cowan ejected	Sergeant Iain Logan ejected	Martin-Baker 10A
	RAF							Martin-Baker