We approached Moel Hebog from a new direction yesterday, resulting in our locating the undercarriage, wheels, fuel tank and other less recognisable wreckage left by the crash of Anson EG472 into the mountain, (and of course the subsequent raiding by local "aviation archaeologists" for their mickey mouse "museum").
It wasn't as easy as we expected, as chest-high bracken which didn't show on the map impeded our progress up the steepest part of the hill.
The picture shows a detail from the undercarriage winding gear of Avro Anson EG472 of 9 OAFU Llandwrog which crashed on the 13th of June 1944 into Moel Hebog (above Beddgelert in Snowdonia).
The 'plane reportedly flew into the North face of the mountain in low cloud and bad visibility on a night navigation exercise.
Turbulence was experienced at 6,000 ft and the Bombardier asked the pilot if he could descend to a calmer altitude.
The Navigator stated they were over Hawarden so the descent was made and the aircraft struck the mountain. One Sgt. Howard was thrown clear and survived, but the other four crew were all killed in the crash.
We don't normally bother with crash report details on here, but there's nothing on the internet about the circumstances of this crash at present.
Location: SH 56890 46948
In the churchyard in Glyntawe, this memorial was erected to commemorate the 1939 crash of Anson L9149, and to thank those who took part in the rescue operation.
Though the military personnel on board perished, two civilian passengers survived. We'll give more info on this crash when we have visited the site.
We just visited this because it was close to where we parked, before setting out for a 10 mile circular walk on Black Mountain, to pick up a couple of Wellington wreck sites, and practice navigation in unfamiliar surroundings.
We liked the Brecon Beacons and we'll be back, but it's a long drive from Derbyshire, it made for an eighteen hour day. We won't be doing it every week!
Location: SN 84956 16920
Finally found the undercarriage from this Anson navigation trainer on Foel Lwyd at the third try.
This was our backup walk after our attempt on Moel Hebog's Anson EG472 had to be abandoned, as we had chosen a route which was unsuited to the weather.
Ended up doing it in the dark, but with good coords from Rob the Tog, an easy find in the end. It's always a lot easier when you are looking in the right place. The High Ground Wrecks coordinates are over 200m out at this site, and on this terrain, that's a long way.
Location: SH 72366 72056
We went up around Cwm Silyn yesterday, looking for the wreckage of the Henley and two Ansons (MG111 and N9562) reputedly in the area.
The Henley was a development of Hawker's successful Hurricane, but even crappier than the Botha and Defiant recently featured. It wasn't even a good target tug, with the engine frequently failing in service.
Like everyone else, we found the Henley, but not the Ansons, one of which is was supposedly lost around the point this pic was taken from. A cursory metal detector search of this area turned up nothing.
The high heather (especially in the area around the Henley crash site) hides holes up to 8 feet deep. The scree is slippery and unstable when wet, and has sharp edges.
A illegible home-made plaque in what some claim to be the wreckage field of one of two Ansons crashed in this area .
I wonder if the plaque's writer thought he could identify which wreck was which? This website certainly does, though the plaques were readable back when he visited. Writing something on a plaque does not however make it a fact.
Location:SH 62837 62236
The remains of a second illegible plaque by what some think to be the centre of an individual wreckage field, seemingly written in Tipp-ex like the one at the Wellington site near to the Lincoln.
Location:SH 62666 62165
More info(shows the plaque in better condition)
These definitely look like Anson bits on Foel Grach, but there is some controversy about which of the two Ansons which crashed near this location they come from. It might even be a consolidation pile of two wreck sites, as we have seen elsewhere. The engines described by others seem to have been removed by the local grave-robbers.
It is hard to know how to resolve the issue now, unless we can find a second site with identifiable bits nearby. The bits are too corroded to even carry any markings.
Since our visit, Alan and Mark from PDAAR claim to have found another site 1km distant which they believe is the crash site of EG110. There is a link to their report of the new site below. They have given us information which will probably to allow us to investigate their claim, which we will do in due course, probably when we have better information about the second "impossible" Anson wreck site location and N5371, to facilitate a twofer, or even a threefer.
Location: SH 69068 66625
The usual undercarriage components at the crash site of this Anson on Foel Fras.
Location: SH 69617 67586
Wreckage (mostly undercarriage and engine components) from the crash site of an Anson above Llyn Cowlyd.
Unburned wreckage like this is spread around this area, and there are also burned spots with previously molten aluminium close by.
Location:SH 72753 63532
More info
Wreckage of this Anson N9855 which crashed on Pen yr Ole Wen on 8/11/43. It was from No 3 (O)AFU at Halfpenny Green. The undercarriage which forms the bulk of the wreckage pile was the Anson's most distinctive feature, requiring 160 turns of a crank handle for the pilot to lower and retract. Hence the plane was often flown with its gear extended, giving a slight speed reduction.
At least one engine from the site is in the Midland Warplane Museum.
Location: SH 66027 62112
A flake of aluminium from the crash of this Anson near Buxton. Sorry about the rubbish photo, we were in a hurry to finish up before we were out of light.
Location:SK 04606 75102
More info
We missed this engine at the last visit. Mick was trying out some arty settings on his camera..
Location: SK 08874 86578
A successful outing to Kinder yesterday, this Anson wreckage at SK 08904 86699 was one of four wreck sites located.
