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Wimpey LP826


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On 24 September 1944 LP826, a Wellington X of 85 Operational Training Unit, was lost when it crashed on the Althorp Estate of the Spencer family after the pilot had lost control of the aircraft.
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During a night exercise, the Wellington from Husbands Bosworth dived into ground from a considerable altitude on the outskirts of the Althorp estate in Northamptonshire with the tragic loss of all seven crew members.
HARPER, Charles - Sgt(A/G) - 1829682 - RAFVR - Kirkconnel Cemetery, Dumfriesshire. 
SAUNDERS, Frederick Charles - Sgt (Radio Op-Air) - 1852883 - RAFVR - Clevedon Cemetery, Somerset.
COLEMAN, Sydney Francis - Sgt (Air Bomber) - 1339954 - RAFVR - Frome (Holy Trinity) Churchyard, Sommerset.
JONES, Thomas William - Sgt(A/G) - 3031716 - RAFVR - Cardiff (Cathays) Cemetery, Glamorganshire. His death was at the age of just 19.
WILTON, Alan Henry - Sgt(Pilot) - 1587833 - RAFVR - Bristol (Canford) Cemetery, Gloucestershire. 
I do not know the names of the other two who were lost.
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No 85 Operational Training Unit was stationed at Husbands Bosworth from 15 June 1944 to 14 June 1945. Squadron codes for 85 OTU were 9P and 2X for this period. 
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This is the Revell re-box of the Matchbox kit. I used Vallejo, Hataka and Humbrol acrylics.

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Thank you Keith, I was unaware of this story until I started the build and stumbled across it researching 85 OTU aircraft. The double link to Northamptonshire made it a must do for me, and Althorp is only a few miles down the road.

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Nice build and a nice tribute to the fallen crew.

I'm just reading a book called Wimpy by Steve Bond. Loss rates from mechanical problems on Wellingtons seem quite high.

Engine fires were, it seems, quite common. The main Airframe flexed in flight but was pretty strong.

OTU Aircraft would usually have seen some Ops before they got there, and were sometimes described as clapped out.

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