Vickers Armstrong Wellington Mk. 10 LP397

Had a day out with Pat C on Wednesday to a few sites I'd not been to previously (as well as the Fauld Crater).

These are a couple of bits from the Church Mayfield Wellington crash site.

Location: SK15449 44950

More info: Crash date 13th June 1944- an experienced pilot for once, brought down by a thunderstorm

Vickers Varsity T1 WJ897 / G-BDFT

Though the unfortunate 'plane dated back to 1952, this crash took place in 1984, with a crew drawn from the enthusiast group which had just restored the aircraft.

This memorial was erected in 2009, replacing the less-formal one which was at the site prior to that.

A collection of the burned aluminium debris which still litters the crash site (in Marchington, Staffordshire) is shown beside the plaque.

We have received a communication from a relative of one of those who were aboard with concerns that the coordinates below will encourage diggers and metal detectorists to disturb the plantings they have made at the site.

As Pat Cunningham already published the site coordinates in 2005, we will leave them up, but we very much hope that the conscience of anyone reading would prevent them disturbing this recent crash site using these coordinates.

Location: SK 15103 30064

More info

Bofurs Gun

40mm AA Gun
Originally uploaded by wreckhunter

One of Welsh Barry's finds, a pretty much complete 40mm Bofurs anti-aircraft autocannon apparently abandoned to rot in the wilds of Staffordshire.

Location:SK 04588 57285

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Staffordshire Moorlands

Crane
Originally uploaded by seansonofbig

We went to the Leek area today to look at a couple of small wreck sites.

While we were at it, we found this old steam crane at the edge of a wood. Mick had to hop up for a play on it. That's his Casey Jones face.

There are also some freight carriages and a first class passenger carriage rotting away on the overgrown sidings at this site.

Location:SJ 97072 44955

But on to the 'plane wrecks...

Douglas A-20G Havoc 43-9958

Havoc:Quarnford
Originally uploaded by seansonofbig

A scrap of aluminium skinning from the crater left by the 1945 crash of this Douglas Havoc near Quarnford, Staffordshire.

Location:SK 03209 68071

More info

Armstrong Whitworth Whitley Mk.V LA765

Whitley: Godleybrook
Originally uploaded by seansonofbig

A chunk of cast aluminium alloy from the 1944 crash site of this Whitley bomber at Dilhorne near Stoke on Trent, Staffordshire.

Location: SJ 97304 44867

More info

Uttoxeter Crash Site

Brookend
Originally uploaded by seansonofbig
We walked the banks of the River Dove near Uttoxeter between Crakemarsh and Combridge, where we had previously heard there was due to be a wreck site excavation around now.

No sign of anything, though the bridges and footpaths in the area were pretty comprehensively blocked, so we couldn't follow our planned search route. This is apparently all too common in Staffs. We will be having a word with their rights of way complaints department.

We do not know the identity of the aircraft. We have found reports of many 'planes crashed in this general area, but none close to the given location.

Alan Clark says he knows the identity of the plane but would rather not say. He tells us that several previous requests to "recover" the wreck have been refused by the landowner, and that none of the usual suspects are admitting involvement in the dig. Even more secrecy than usual. And as ever, a certain amount of ner ner ner ner ner.

Approximate location:SK 100 370