More information : Aircraft R7592 was a Hawker Typhoon Mark IA, which crashed at Roudham, allegedly on 1st November 1941. It was part of a batch of 250 Typhoon Mark IA and IB aircraft delivered by Gloster Aircraft, to contract number 12148/39. The date of delivery for this batch is given as between December 1941 and July 1942, but either this date, or the crash date, must be wrong. The aircraft belonged to 56 squadron based at Duxford. The fate of the aircraft is described as "dived into ground near East Harling, Norfolk 1.11.1941 presumed due to carbon monoxide fumes". (1)
R7592 was the first Typhoon to be lost in Royal Air Force service. The crash occurred during a test flight, and was due to the pilot being poisoned by carbon monoxide fumes from the engine, which leaked into the cockpit. This was established immediately after the crash by a post portem on the body of ther pilot. The leaking of exhaust fumes and carbon monoxide was a problem with this early type of Typhoon, made more dangerous by the fact that the cover of the cockpit could not be easily opened, as was the case with other aircraft. The pilot was one of three brothers, who all served with the Royal Air Force and were all killed. A memorial window was dedicated to them at the Church of Saint Peter, Westleton, east Suffolk. A civilian eye witness saw the aircraft go into a spin from around 3000 feet and crash into a hedgerow at Drove Lane. In 1987 remains of the aircraft were recovered by an excavation undertaken by the East Anglian Aircraft Recovery Group, who located and reopened the sand-filled impact crater. Altough finds were recovered, much of the wreckage was damaged by fire, the foam used to put out the fire, and acidic soil conditions. (2) |