Boscombe Down Lightning XG335 Crash

[Aeronut]

The son of Sqn Ldr J Whitaker recently posted the following on a Facebook page local to the crash site of Lightning XG335. I’ve copied it here to give greater exposure in the hope there may be further recollections of the incident.


In January 1965 when I was 4 & lived in Andover, my father who was a test pilot for the RAF had to eject from his Electric lightning jet over Larkhill ranges. Thankfully he was OK.
He never really talked about it & now he’s sadly gone after a long & good life & I am hoping someone in the area can shed some light on the events of 58 years ago.
Now – given the crash was around tea-time / took out overhead power cables / skidded past some cottages / crashed through a wood & came to rest on fire near the Seven Stars pub (Bottlesford) you would have thought there would be some photos or newspaper reports or something ??
I can’t find anything other than official crash reports as attached.
Anyway, any additional information or links would be really appreciated.
Thanks
James

[Archimedes]

Daily Telegraph the following day.

[Archimedes]

[Aeronut]

Thanks Archimedes

[John Nichol]

There is a paragraph of information about the incident on page 24 of Peter Caygill's book, "Lightning Eject"

[XG335]

Thanks Aeronut.

Thanks John - will take a look.

Thanks Archimedes - do you know which newspaper this was or same as above ?

Appreciated & keep them coming

Think I might write a small book..."The last Flight of XG335" just for fun.

Regards, James Whitaker

[Archimedes]

Sorry, must have edited out the credit for the 2nd clipping when trying to get it to a vaguely sensible size- it’s from the Daily Mirror from the day after the accident.

[Aeronut]

I visited the crash site today. A peaceful wood with little trace now. Is Sqn Ldr Whitaker’s touch down location known?

[chevvron]

I did a short stint as Air Controller at RAE Larkhill in 1975.
I recall the briefing for ejections was to vector the aircraft onto the 327 deg radial (from the Boscombe TACAN) and for the pilot to then set the controls for a premeditated 'crash' within the impact area on that heading.

[DaveReidUK]

These are the locations mentioned in the reports, including the pub and the HT cables, which seem consistent with that final heading of 327°.

I assume the Telegraph's reference to "Wilcot" should read Hilcott.

[Aeronut]

An eyewitness to the crash posted this map on the local Facebook page. The x being the pylon and the o the impact area.

I wonder where the good Sqn Ldr landed in his parachute?

[wrecker]

Originally Posted by XG335

Thanks Aeronut.

Thanks John - will take a look.

Thanks Archimedes - do you know which newspaper this was or same as above ?

Appreciated & keep them coming

Think I might write a small book..."The last Flight of XG335" just for fun.

Regards, James Whitaker

James Did you father have an interest in gliding and did he go on to be (possibly) CFI at Southampton UAS based at Hamble?

[prbw]

He was certainly CFI at Moonrakers RAFGSA at Upavon in 95/96 - I recall introducing him to the daughter of the licensees of the 7 Stars at Bottlesford!

[Fitter2]

He was certainly CFI at Moonrakers RAFGSA at Upavon in 95/96 - I recall introducing him to the daughter of the licensees of the 7 Stars at Bottlesford!

65/66 I think (or maybe a little later, Ed Meddings was CFI in 65.) I know because I organised the closing down dinner in71 when Moonrakers shut down. I wondered if it was the same S/L Whitaker. Played a very competent jazz trumpet, ran a Bedford Dormobile camper van but would also sometimes arrive en famille in a Messserscmitt bubble car, his wife (Sylvia?) in the back with a child on each knee and he drove it with one of the boys in the front on his lap. Not sure what a policeman would have said.....

[wrecker]

I think my recolection of him is at Wessex RAFGSA at Andover in around 62.
I have a feeling the family lived in a house on the way to Enham Alamain

[Fitter2]

Hi wrecker. Yes,

This one.

[Tarnished]

UK Flight Testing Accidents 1940-71 : Derek Collier Webb (flyingbooks.co.uk)

British Flight Test accidents 40-71 might help, I have a copy but am not at home just now to check for you. Home on Friday can check then unless someone clever has an online version they can access

Regards
Tarnished

[XG335]

Thanks Tarnished. If you or someone could look that would be great.
Accidentally clicked on the other link....

[XG335]

Wow... is that my house in Andover. Is there a hill. I remember a family coming down the hill in a reliant robin & rolling it on the bend ??? Mum brought them in for hot drinks etc whilst police etc arrived ???
Glenmoor I think the name was.
Dad used to park his messerschmitt (bubble car not the plane ) on the tarmac drive & when I got up, I thought the damp shadow left was evidence that Batman had visited overnight.... I was less than 5 BTW.

[XG335]

Thanks wrecker - see threads below.