Went out on my own on a way up to a business meeting in Newcastle, trying for two wreck sites on Urra Moor.
Despite a foot of snow on the top and slopes, I found both of them. Nice to have the moors to myself.
The first site was this Oxford, which we missed the last time we were up here, as we were running out of light.
Location: NZ 59662 00948
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The remains of this Oxford in Wassell Wood, SW Midlands are more substantial than those at the other two sites visited on the day.
Location: SO 79661 77602
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Our second visit to the Waterhouses crash site of this Oxford yielded this scrap of debris.
Access to the site was facilitated by the river being unexpectedly completely dry.
Pat Cunningham's information is a bit poor at this site, probably for the main reason we had such difficulty locating it: the trees on the steep bank block the GPS signal pretty effectively.
His given coordinates are for example 50m below his given elevation data, and on the wrong side of the river.
Our location info at this site is at least on the right side of the river, but it will not be as accurate as usual, maybe +/- 50 ft.
Location:SK 09323 50138
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Looking across to the original location of the C-47 wreck referred to in the next post from the coordinates given in High Ground Wrecks for an Oxford crash site, where we found this aircraft component.
The HGW coordinates and location do not agree, as noted in comments on this post, so we will investigate further.
Location:SH 70243 66962
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This Oxford crash site above Starkholmes near Matlock yielded these few bits fairly readily. These were surface wreckage, contrary to Pat Cunningham's experience at the site. The circular bit at the back looked like the turntable of an old record player, but the rest is definitely plane wreckage.
Location:SK 30187 58638
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One of a few bits we found at the site of this Oxford crash by metal detecting. Second attempt on this site, failed to find anything back in October last year when we were clearing up Oxford crash sites in the area.
This is an aluminium pipe stained brown by soil, and painted pale green, rather than a copper pipe with verdigris. Click on the pic for confirmatory larger pics.
Location: SJ 98118 70910
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Visited the Oxford wreck on Howden Moor-couldn't tell if it had been interfered with, but there seems to be looters active in the area, judging by evidence at the V1 and Consul sites.
Of course, unlike the other two, this one is a War Grave, covered by by the Protection of Military Remains Act. That may cause them to think more carefully before looting..
Location: see previous post
Wreckage at the site of the crash of this Oxford. Mostly plywood, which is unusual in our limited experience, but it was apparently quite a major component of the Oxford. Presumably preserved in this case by the humic acids of the peaty water. Last of the day today.
Location:SK 02555 71720
This Oxford wreck on Axe Edge was the first we found last Thursday. These undercarriage brackets seem to predominate at most Oxford wreck sites.
There often seems to be clay pigeon and target shooting going on at the nearby farm. Look out for red flags!
Oxford wreckage on Shining Tor. Last of four wrecks found last Thursday.
This wreckage is at SJ 99800 74629.
There is also a half-buried fuel tank at SJ 99813 74648.
This Oxford on Rushup edge was the first of today's finds.
Location is SK 10948 83838
Oxford Wreckage on Brown Knoll: SK 08188 85198
A cold and damp day...
SK 18575 96507.
We found some shrapnel up to 500mm long, though. It was much thicker stuff than the usual aircraft aluminium.
It looked like someone had been excavating the wreckage.
