Vampire VT863 in the centre of the photograph (photo Jim Rutland).

On the 9th of September 1951 the pilot of this aircraft took off from Thornaby at 15.35hrs to practice for the Battle of Britain air display due to be held at Thornaby on the 15th of September 1951. Whilst flying at a high speed the aircraft was seen to turn steeply before flicking to one side and diving into the ground from between 1,000 and 1,500 feet at 15.42hrs. The cause was put at the Auxilary pilot being inexperienced in flying fast and making tight turns at high speed. A stall occured which the pilot was inable to recover from, possibly because he passed out. The aircraft crashed about a mile west of the village of Hutton Rudby near ""Meggison Houses"" killing the pilot instantly. The aircraft sustained Cat E2/FA burnt damage.

The aircraft was built to contract 6/ACFT/936 by E.E.C. at Salmesbury and was believed delivered to the RAF in February 1948. It was issued to 54 Sqdn at Odiham in April1948 and at some unknown date moved to the Station Flight at Odiham. It was transferred to 601 Sqdn at North Weald in November 1949 and then to 608 Sqdn on an as yet unknown date.

Pilot - Sgt Harry Darragh Mincher RAF (2686168), aged 28, of Bothwell, Lanarkshire. Buried Darlington West Cemetery (V6Z376).

He was born on 16th October 1922 and had 44 hours flying time on the Vampire at the time of his death. Howard Newbould reports that the pilot flew Beaufighters during the War.