Military Crash Sites in South Wales

The original wing structure of Supermarine Type 300 Spitfire Mk. I, later referred to as the Type A wing.

The Merlin-powered Spitfires used four different wing types, A through to D which had the same dimensions and plan but different internal arrangements of armament and fuel tanks.

After introducing the Griffon, Supermarine recognized the need for a completely revised laminar-flow wing to facilitate even higher speeds made possible by this powerful engine.

Starting with production Spitfire Mk 21, this wing became standard for post-war variants of this famous fighter.

The majority of the day fighter Spitfires from the Mk I through Mk XVIII used four basic wing types, A, B, C and E.

Type A Wing​

The original wing design, the basic structure of which was unchanged until the arrival of C type wing in 1942.

The only armament able to be carried was eight .303-calibre Browning machine guns with 300 rounds per gun.

The one major alteration made to this wing soon after production started was the incorporation of heating for the gun bays to prevent the guns from freezing at altitude.

Open structures around the gun bays were blocked off and ducting, drawing hot air from the back of the radiators, was added to the wings.

The heated air was exhausted through underwing vents, covered by streamlined triangular blisters, just inboard of the wingtips.

Towards the end of 1940 the fabric covered ailerons were replaced by ones covered in light-alloy.

Date: 16-JUN-1954
Time: Day
Type: de Havilland DH.100 Vampire F.Mk 3
Owner/operator: 4 CAACU Royal Air Force (4 CAACU RAF)
Registration: VT820
C/n / msn: EEP.42395
Fatalities: Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1
Other fatalities: 0
Aircraft damage: Written off (damaged beyond repair)
Location: RAF Llandow, Llandow, Vale of Glamorgan, South Wales
Phase: Approach
Nature: Military
Departure airport: RAF Llandow, Glamorgan, South Wales - United Kingdom
Destination airport: RAF Llandow, Glamorgan, South Wales - United Kingdom

Narrative:

De Havilland Vampire F.3 VT820 of 4 CAACU crashed 16-6-54 on the airfield at RAF Llandow, Glamorgan, killing the pilot.

The aircraft approached in a shallow dive at about 300-400 feet and at high speed.

The port wing tip was seen to bend upwards, and this was followed by the complete wing, which broke off and struck the tailplane, which also fractured.

The aircraft rolled to starboard and struck the ground.

Crew of Vampire VT820: Flight Lt Arthur Edward Stuart Whetter, DFC, RAF (pilot, Service Number 146314, aged 37)

In all, four aircraft were either damaged or destroyed in the crash of De Havilland Vampire VT820:

De Havilland Vampire F.Mk.3 VT820 - destroyed/written off, pilot killed (see above)
Supermarine Spitfire LF.XVI TE300 - damaged by flying debris, deemed damaged beyond repair and struck off charge
Airspeed Oxford NM409 - damaged by flying debris, repaired and returned to service
De Havilland Vampire F.Mk.3 VT815 - damaged by flying debris, repaired and returned to service

The de Havilland Vampire is a British jet fighter which was developed and manufactured by the de Havilland Aircraft Company.

It was the second jet fighter to be operated by the RAF, after the Gloster Meteor, and the first to be powered by a single jet engine.

Development of the Vampire as an experimental aircraft began in 1941 during the Second World War, to exploit the revolutionary innovation of jet propulsion.

From the company's design studies, it was decided to use a single-engine, twin-boom aircraft, powered by the Halford H.1 turbojet (later produced as the "Goblin").

Aside from its propulsion system and twin-boom configuration, it was a relatively conventional aircraft.

In May 1944 it was decided to produce the aircraft as an interceptor for the Royal Air Force (RAF).

In 1946 the Vampire entered operational service with the RAF, only months after the war had ended.

The Vampire quickly proved to be effective and was adopted as a replacement of wartime piston-engined fighter aircraft.

During its early service it accomplished several aviation firsts and achieved various records, such as being the first jet aircraft to cross the Atlantic Ocean.

The Vampire remained in front-line RAF service until 1953 when it was progressively reassigned to various secondary roles, such as ground attack and pilot training, for which specialist variants were produced.

The RAF retired the Vampire in 1966 when its final role of advanced trainer was filled by the Folland Gnat. The Royal Navy had also adapted the type as the Sea Vampire, a navalised variant suitable for operations from aircraft carriers.

It was the service's first jet fighter.