ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 68965
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| Date: | Friday 11 February 1938 |
| Time: | |
| Type: | Gloster Gladiator Mk I |
| Owner/operator: | 65 Sqn RAF |
| Registration: | K7942 |
| MSN: | |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1 |
| Other fatalities: | 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | 1 mile east of RAF North Weald, Essex, England -
 United Kingdom
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | RAF Hornchurch, Essex |
| Confidence Rating: |  Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources |
A fatality marred the collision of two Gladiator's of 65 squadron on 11.2.38 as they flew in the vicinity of North Weald from their own field at Hornchurch. Three pilots, Acting Flt Lt L C Bicknell flying the eight month old K7942, P/0 P R Austin-Sparks in seven month old K8002 and P/0 Boyd in another machine, were undertaking formation flying training when K8002 hit the formation leader from behind, it is thought due mainly to obscured vision caused by oil thrown up by the engine coating the windscreen.
Bicknell, the senior pilot, managed to get out of his aircraft and parachute to safety. Twenty-one year old Austin-Sparkes died in his aircraft. He had served 13 months in the RAF, three of them at Hornchurch.
The three aircraft had been flying in the vicinity of North Weald when they apparently came upon Acting P/0 John Thompson flying in a locally based 151 Squadron machine and decided to "bounce" him with a series of mock attacks. Such manoeuvres near an airfield were in any case banned.
Bicknell, who had gained his pilots brevet in December 1934, was Courts Martial over the crash and death of Austin-Sparks, only a qualified flyer some seven months, and was reprimanded. He later flew in, and survived, the Battle of Britain. As a Squadron Leader he flew 23 Squadron Bristol Blenheims
Sources:
1. Air Britain The K File The RAF of the 1930s
2. http://www.rcawsey.co.uk/Acc1939.htm
3. http://www.rafcommands.com/forum/showthread.php?3870-Pre-war-losses-of-Gladiators-in-65-Squadron
4. http://www.rafcommands.com/forum/showthread.php?13698-F-O-Leslie-Charles-Bicknell-65-Sqn-Accidents-Incidents-Pre-War
5. http://surfcity.kund.dalnet.se/gladiator_raf_65.htm
6. http://www.brynelliott.co.uk/about_htm_files/WESTESSEXcrashesMishaps2Peacetime.pdf
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 14-Oct-2009 00:17 | JINX | Added |
| 16-Oct-2009 13:14 | JINX | Updated |
| 27-Jan-2012 12:55 | Nepa | Updated [Operator, Location, Source] |
| 07-Jul-2013 02:18 | JINX | Updated [Operator, Location, Source] |
| 03-Aug-2013 16:15 | Nepa | Updated [Operator, Location] |
| 09-Aug-2013 16:56 | JINX | Updated [Operator, Location] |
| 03-Jun-2015 16:35 | Ing Edcker | Updated [Operator] |
| 28-Jan-2016 12:07 | JINX | Updated [Aircraft type, Operator] |
| 15-Feb-2018 08:16 | Nepa | Updated [Aircraft type, Operator] |
| 10-Mar-2018 16:45 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Time, Phase, Departure airport, Source, Narrative] |
| 21-Jul-2022 13:06 | Nepa | Updated [Time, Operator, Location, Operator] |
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