BELOW: An Avro  652A Anson T21 of Air Atlantique Classic Flight on a take-off run at Hullavington Airfield, Wiltshire, England.

RAF Hullavington

Photo: 2005. Adrian Pingstone. (Arpingstone). Released by the author to the public domain.

RAF 652A Avro Anson Mk I / DJ472

Aircraft Type Nickname: "Faithful Annie"

The Avro Anson was an adaptation of the civilian Avro 652 aircraft in use by Imperial Airways.

The Anson was the first aircraft in RAF service with a retractable undercarriage. The aircraft was flown initially by No. 48 Squadron of RAF Coastal Command.

The Anson was used for coastal reconnaissance and maritime patrol; and, latterly, for crew training, light transport, and communications purposes. Among many of its crew members, however, the Anson was considered to be a cold, draughty, and very noisy aircraft.

Although the Avro Anson was a solidly-built and reliable aircraft, it was nevertheless slow and vulnerable to attack. For this and other reasons, it was inevitable that the Anson would be replaced—as indeed it was, with the Lockheed Hudson bomber.

Later generations of Ansons (the Anson C.19 series) remained in use with the RAF until 1968.

Usually, Mark I Ansons were powered by two Armstrong Siddeley Cheetah radial engines. Occasionally, however, other types would be substituted. The Anson had a top speed of about 188 mph (164 knots or 303 km/h) at 7,000ft (2,100m).

Anson DJ472 was attached to No. 1 (Observer) Advanced Flying Unit (No. 1 (O)AFU) and was operating out of RAF Wigtown (Baldoon). On 2nd August 1942, the aircraft was on a flight passing over the Isle of Arran when it ran into bad weather.

In the difficult conditions, the pilot crashed into the peak known as Caisteal Abhail, about 2 miles NW of Goat Fell—Arran's highest peak.

All five crew members died in this accident. These were:

• Flt / Lt Hugh Colin Campbell (31), Pilot (RAFVR).

• LAC Kenneth Whalley (20), Pilot / Obs. (RAFVR).

• Sgt Henry Thomas Swain (22), Wireless Op. / Air Gunner (RAFVR).

• Sgt Gordon Ralph Lewis (age unknown), Wireless Op. / Air Gunner (RCAF).

• Sgt Reginald Richard Hinton (21), (RAAF).

All except Sgt Swain were buried at Kirkinner Cemetery, Wigtown.

Sgt Swain was buried at East Finchley Cemetery, London.

There are no crash site photos for this aircraft at the moment. If anyone is able to provide photos of the crash site at Caisteal Abhail, or of any remaining wreckage, or of any memorial to the crew, this would be much appreciated.

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Accident Date: 2 Aug 1942

Accident Site:

Caisteal Abhail

(Known as 'the Sleeping Warrior') (Two miles NW of Goat Fell)

Region: North Ayrshire (Isle of Arran)

Nearest town or village:

Corrie and Sannox

Nearest large town or city:

Brodick (S)

OS Grid Ref. N/A

GPS Ref: N/A

Present Condition: No details of wreckage condition or parts remaining available at present.

Registration or Serial: DJ472

Operator: RAF (1 Observer Advanced Flying Unit (1 OAFU))

Operating Base: RAF Wigtown (Baldoon Airfield)

Base Location: Baldoon (Wigtown) near Bladnoch or Braehead, Scotland.

Current Airport Status: RAF airfield closed 1947. Some derelict buildings may remain.

Current Airport Name: Baldoon Airfield. (Remaining airstrip now within private property.)

Principal airport data courtesy of John Woodside, A Catalogue of UK Airfields

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