Hawker Hurricane LD564

Loch Doon, Dumfries and Galloway

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Operator/Nationality

Operating Country

UK (RAF)

Squadron Nationality

Canada (RCAF)

Insignia

439 (Tiger) Squadron Crest (RCAF)

439 tiger squadron crest rcaf

Image: Courtesy Department of National Defence (Canada)

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Acknowledgments

Many thanks to Andy McIntyre for kindly providing photos of the Merlin engine wreckage, together with grid references and other details for this page.

Thanks also to Dougie Martindale for kindly providing other information concerning this crash site.

Copyright Notice

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

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Aircraft Type Photo

BELOW: Hawker Hurricane Mark IV KZ321 (The Fighter Collection)

hawker hurricane mk IV KZ321 - the Fighter Collection

Photo: 2005 'Kogo' (own work). Released by the author to the public domain under GNU Free Documentation License

Aircraft Type and Background

RAF Hawker Hurricane Mk IV / LD564

Aircraft Type Nickname: "Hurry"; "Flying Tin Openers"; "Flying Can Openers" (later versions).

A military single-seat interceptor / fighter / bomber flown by the Royal Air Force. The Hurricane was designed by Sydney Camm and built mainly by Hawker Aircraft Ltd.

The Hawker Hurricane was equipped with 1 Rolls Royce liquid-cooled Merlin III 12-cylinder power plant. Later versions had Merlin XX, XXI or XXII power plants.

The Hurricane fighter-bomber was armed with eight .303 inch Browning machine guns mounted on the wings. The Mark IV version also carried 2 x 250lb or 500lb bombs or fragmentation bombs. Some Hurricane Mark IVs were equipped with rocket projectiles,100m).

Aircraft Accident Details

The fighter-bomber aircraft featured here was a Hurricane Mk. IV attached to 439 (Tiger) Squadron RCAF. At the time of the accident, it was being piloted by F/O R. M. MacTavish, who came from Vancouver, British Columbia in Canada.

Little is known about the cause of this accident. The aircraft had been on a training flight and was flying at 3,300ft. However, witnesses on the ground saw the aircraft descend through the clouds in a steep nose-down attitude.

For a short time, the Hurricane was obscured from view. Ultimately, however, the fighter was found to have crashed into the forest close to Loch Doon, killing the pilot.

Aircraft Pilot Casualty

The pilot who lost his life in this accident was:

F/O Roswell Murray MacTavish (24), Pilot, RCAF

F/O MacTavish was buried at Ayr Cemetery, Ayrshire, Scotland; Grave Sec R. 1931; Div Grave 2721

Crash Site Photos

BELOW: A Rolls-Royce Merlin engine similar to the type used in the Hurricane featured here, and used also in Spitfire and other aircraft. (Click for larger image.)

Photo: 2006. Released to the public domain under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.2

remains of merlin engine and other parts near loch doon

ABOVE and BELOW: Remains of the Rolls-Royce Merlin engine and other parts from Hawker Hurricane LD564 at Loch Doon.

other parts of the hurricane's merlin engine

BELOW: Remains of the engine / propeller reduction gear and other wreckage.

remains of the engine - propeller reduction gear

Photo Gallery

There are no additional photos of this crash site in the Photo Gallery.

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Crash Date / Site

Accident Date: 18 Mar 1944

Accident Site:

Loch Doon

(forest firebreak near Loch)

Other Crash near this Location

Supermarine Spitfire P7540

Region: Dumfries and Galloway

Nearest town or village:

Dalmellington

Nearest large towns:

St John's Town of Dalry (SE) or New Galloway (SE)

OS Grid Ref: 49000 92055

GPS Ref. N/A

Present Condition: Various wreckage parts, including Merlin engine, still onsite. Mature trees partially conceal wreckage.

Note: Wellington boots advised during all seasons for this site.

Aircraft Details

Registration or Serial: LD564

Operator: Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) (4 Observer Advanced Flying Unit (4 OAFU))

Operating Base: RAF Ayr; 439 (Tiger) Squadron RCAF. (Base included also RAF 44 Grp. Transport; RN HMS Gannett; HMS Wagtail.)

Base Location: Ayr (Heathfield) Aerodrome, Ayr, Scotland.

Current Airport Status: Operational Civil Airport;
National Air Traffic Services (NATS): Scottish Area Control Centre (SACC), Oceanic Area Control Centre (OACC), Military Control, & Engineering..

Current Airport Name: Glasgow (Prestwick) International Airport (EGPK)

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