Miles M3A Falcon Major at Scarborough Castle.
The aircraft which crashed at Scarborough Castle. My thanks to Jim Rudland for this photo.
On the 10th of September 1937 the Miles Falcon took off
from Hatfield for the 1442 mile air race around the UK and Ireland called the Kings Cup Air
Race. The race would have taken two days to complete. Of the 27 aircraft taking part this
year, it was one of the last to take off at number 24. The aircraft eventually flew north and
made for Scarborough Castle as this was one the registration points it had to pass.
The aircraft was seen to fly out wider than the other aircraft had previously done that day,
at 150 feet the aircraft suddenly became caught in
severe turbulance. The aircraft was seen to roll badly and rise about 50 feet, it
then failed to level out and then lost height. The aircraft then crashed next to
Scarborough Castle Walls. One of those on board was thrown out of the aircraft just
before impact, he was killed with this impact but his body then rolled off the cliff top and landed near a cafe on Marine Drive,
300 feet below. The
other pilot
was found in the wreckage, he was killed instantly. The aircraft had struck the ground nose/belly first and the engine broke off and
had continued for another 25 feet, the aircraft was said to be well broken up in the crash,
the number "24" was still visable in the wreckage though. The coroner recorded a verdict of accidental death on both men.
The aircraft was built by P & P Ltd at Woodley and registered to them on 10th September 1936. It was written off soon after this crash.
Pilot - W/Cdr Edward G Hilton DFC AFC, aged 41, of England - found in wreckage, killed.
Passenger - W/Cdr Percy Clark Sherren, MC and Bar, aged 44, of Prince of Wales Island, Canada - thrown from aircraft, killed.
W/C Hilton (left) and W/C Sherren (right).
The aircraft moments before impact, W/Cdr Sherren can clearly be seen above the aircraft.
The aircraft after the crash.
W/Cdr Sherren was a Canadian and was seconded to the RFC in 1916 and had won his Military Cross and Bar in 1916 for leadership during a bombing raid in the First World War in France.
He originally served with the Canadian Infantry in France before being seconded to the RFC in May 1916. After the Great War he was granted a permenant commission in the RAF and
gained the India General Service Medal with Clasp for serving in Waziriston between 1921 and 1924. He then resigned from flying
duties. In 1930 he was made a Wing Commander and commanded 10 Sqdn for three years. In November 1934 he was appointed a desk
job at the Home Aircraft Depot at Henlow, months after commanding No. 1 Armament Training Camp, based at Catfoss, Yorkshire. he retired in June 1936. He left a widow and was 44 years old.
W/Cdr Hilton was only a month from his 42nd birthday. He was born in London and was educated at Malvern and at University College,
London. During the First World War, he served with the 14th Batt London Reg before being commisioned into the East Yorks Reg. He joined
the RFC in France in 1917 as an Observer. He graduated as a pilot in 1918 and transferred to the RAF and served in Egypt and Iraq between 1919 and 1923, he was
decorated in 1923 for services in Kurdistan. He returned to the UK to Martlesham and then returned to Egypt in 1929 for five years with 216 Sqdn.
He returned to Martlesham five years later and flew as a pilot on experimental aircraft. He was described as a "brilliant pilot". Just prior to his death he was
appointed into the Air Minstry's Dept of Research and Development. He had over 5000 hours flying to his name. He left a widow and a son. he was 42 years old.
The colour photo above shows the same bit of wall shown in the old photo above, although taken from a slightly different angle it
is clearly the same bit of wall. The aircraft just clearing the turret to the centre of the photos.
