Lockheed Hudson N7315

Wick Airfield, Caithness, Highland

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UK (RAF)

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South Africa (Flag current from 1928 - 1994)

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Extra Page

PAGE 2: Flt Lt Ronald Nicholas Selley, DFC

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Acknowledgment

Many thanks to Ron Selley for kindly providing photos of Flt Lt R N Selley, related aircraft photos, and other information for these pages.

Many thanks also to Steven Spink, BAAC of Dumfries and Galloway Aviation Museum for kindly providing details of the accident location, remaining crew member's names and other information.

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The photos remain the property of the original author, and may not be reproduced elsewhere without his prior written permission.

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Aircraft Type Photo

BELOW: An RCAF Lockheed Hudson Mk.I light bomber. [Wikimedia]

a Lockheed Hudson in flight viewed from above

Photo: [pre-1942] RCAF (expired Crown copyright)

BELOW: A preserved Lockheed Hudson at the North Atlantic Aviation Museum (NAAM), Canada.

a preserved Lockheed Hudson

Photo: 2009 'Plismo'.

Released by the author to the public domain under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported license [Wikipedia]

BELOW: Flt Lt Ronald Nicholas Selley, DFC.

(Flt Lt Selley flew Lockheed Hudsons and Avro Ansons. He was flying Hudson N7315 from RAF Leuchars to RAF Sumburgh at the time of the accident featured below)

Flt Lt Ronald Nicholas Selley

Image: courtesy, Ron Selley

from Natal Mercury (now, The Mercury)

Aircraft Type and Background

RAF Lockheed Hudson Mk I / N7315

The American-built Lockheed Hudson was an adaption for military purposes of the Lockheed 14 Super Electra civilian aircraft. The Super Electra was the type used by Howard Hughes on his round-the-world trip, and by the British prime minister Neville Chamberlain on his flight to meet Hitler at Munich in 1938.

The Hudson was fitted with two Wright radial piston engines. Depending on the variant, the aircraft could be equipped with two forward-facing machine guns, two in the dorsal turret, and the ability to carry a 1,000 - 1,400lb bomb load.

The Hudson carried a crew of four (pilot, navigator, bomb-aimer, and radio officer / gunner).

The RAF intended the Hudson to be a replacement for the Avro Anson; and, initially, the Hudson was viewed as a fast and superior aircraft.

In addition to the RAF and USAAF, Hudsons were operated by the RCAF, RAAF and RNZAF.

Aircraft Accident Details

[The following information is based on a report prepared by the Commanding Officer at RAF Wick, and kindly made available by Ron Selley.]

The port engine was giving trouble whilst on a patrol to the Shetland Islands. The pilot decided to land at RAF Wick in order to make repairs.

As he was coming in to land on one engine, whilst on his final approach, an aircraft flew in front of him. The pilot of Hudson N7315 turned to avoid a collision. However, the single engine could not recover the aircraft from the manoeuvre, and it stalled, crashing in Miller Avenue Wick.

Four of the bombs onboard exploded on impact and the aircraft burned fiercely. The following day the remaining two bombs were detonated by the RAF at Wick.