Registration or Serial: AM261 (RAF registration — aircraft ex, USAAC 44-699 (c/n 170)

Operator: Royal Air Force Ferry Command (1425 Flight—Transatlantic Routes)

Operating Base: RAF Ayr; (Including 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)

Aircraft Nickname: Lib; Lumbering Lib; Flying Boxcar, and others.

Aircraft Type & Background

The Consolidated B-24 heavy bomber first flew in 1939. The prototypes were equipped with four Pratt & Whitney 1200hp R-1830-33 Twin Wasp engines. Early production versions were fitted with P&W 1200hp R-1830-41 engines with GE turbo superchargers. Later production versions (B-24Ds) were fitted with P&W R-1830-43 engines. Later variants followed. Their maximum speed was about 487km/h (303mph).

The B-24 was fitted with 11 machine guns and had a bomb carrying capacity of about 3,629kgs (8,000lbs); and, with modifications, had a range of about 4600km (2,858 miles).

Although overshadowed by the B-17 (Flying Fortresses), the B-24 was produced in greater numbers than any other aircraft in history (in excess of 18,000 aircraft).

The RAF gained extra B-24s when they took delivery of an order destined originally for France. Consolidated termed the B-24 aircraft destined for Britain 'LB-30As', as they had been modified to meet British MoD and RAF requirements. The RAF assigned the name Liberator to their new bombers (a name adopted later by the USAAF).

However, since the P&W engines of these Liberators had had their superchargers removed before delivery to the RAF, and since they lacked the self-sealing fuel tanks fitted to the US B-24s, they were found to be unsuitable for use in the European theatre. Thus, initially, the RAF Liberators were assigned to B.O.A.C., and later to RAF Ferry Command, for transport purposes.

A number of Liberators were allocated to RAF Coastal Command. Coastal Command first operated these aircraft in 1941, using them against the U-boats. Later, RAF bomber squadrons also used Liberators in the Middle East and Far East.

The Liberator featured here had been assigned to RAF Ferry Command, based at RAF Ayr in Scotland. Their responsibility was to act as transports, and to ferry flight crews across the North Atlantic so that these aircrew could fly newly-built aircraft back to the UK.

Aircraft Accident Details

At the time of this accident, the Liberator was being flown by RAF Ferry Command. The aircraft had left Ayr (Heathfield) Aerodrome (now part of Prestwick Intl. Airport) en route for CFB Gander (later, RCAF Station Gander) in Newfoundland (now, Newfoundland and Labrador), Canada.

In addition to the normal flight crew, the Liberator was carrying additional pilots and crew who were to ferry new aircraft back to the UK from Canada. A total of twenty-two personnel were on board the aircraft: five crew and 17 passengers.

However, shortly after take-off, the aircraft experienced overcast conditions together with rain, mist and low visibility. At this point, the Liberator had just begun to cross the Island of Arran in the Firth of Clyde. In the prevailing cloud and mist, however, the pilot did not realise that he had not gained sufficient height to clear the high peaks of Arran.

Very soon afterward, the Liberator crashed into a ridge of Mullach Buidhe, just north of Goatfell—the latter being the highest peak on Arran. The crew of 5, together with their 17 passengers, perished in the accident.

According to the accident report, the crash was due to navigational error.

See panel on right for casualty list.

Below: RAF Consolidated LB-30A (B-24) Liberator AM262

Accident Date

10 August 1941

Accident Site

Mullach Buidhe (721m / 2,366 ft)
 (N of Goatfell)

Region: North Ayrshire (Isle of Arran)

Nearest town or village: Brodick or Sannox

OS Grid Ref: Not yet available

Present Condition

A few fragments, some very small, still remain onsite.

Related Links

• Accident details at PlaneCrashInfo.com

• Casualty list and photos at Peak District Air Accident Research

Other Links (B-24 Liberator Aircraft)

• AcePilots.com

• Century of Flight

• High Gallery

• Warbird Alley

RAF Links

• RAF Ayr (Heathfield) / Prestwick Airfield

• RAF Liberator Squadrons

• RAF Museum

RCAF & Related Links

• Above & Beyond (Ferry Command, Canada)

• Canada's Air Force History at RCAF.com

• History of CFB Gander

• RCAF Station Gander at Wikipedia

Below: A RAF LB-30A Liberator in flight

Photo [pre-1957] Taken by an employee of the UK government.  Photo now in the public domain.

The photos in this section were kindly provided by
Stevie Spinks
and are used here by permission. 

Unless otherwise indicated, all photos in this section
were kindly provided by
Bob MacAlister
and are used here by permission.

Below: The row of graves in the foreground mark the spot were many of these servicemen were laid to rest.

The cemetery is located at Kilbride Cemetery in  Lamlash, south of Brodick in Arran, Scotland.

Photo: © 2008, Bob MacAlister

Photo above:

Left stone inscription:

Captain
E. R. B. White
British Overseas Airways Corporation
10 August 1941, Age 35

Right stone inscription:

Captain
 J. Wixen
 R.A.F. Ferry Command,
10 August 1941, Age 27

Photo: © 2008, Bob MacAlister

Unfortunately the lower (family) inscriptions on these headstones are now difficult to read, so it has not been possible to cite them here.

Photo: © 2008, Bob MacAlister

Photo on left:

Left stone inscription:

Flight Engineer
 E. G. Reeves
 R.A.F. Ferry Command
10 August 1941

Centre stone inscription:

First Officer
 J. J. Rouleston
 R.A.F. Ferry Command,
10 August 1941

Right stone inscription:

Captain
 H. C. W. Smith
(of Canada)
 R.A.F. Ferry Command,
10 August 1941, Age 50

Photo on right:

Left stone inscription:

Captain
 J. E. Price
(of Australia)
 R.A.F. Ferry Command,
10 August 1941, Age 30

Centre stone inscription:

Radio Officer
 H.D. Rees
 Air Transport Auxiliary
10 August 1941, Age 27

Right stone inscription:

Flight Engineer
 E. G. Reeves,
 R.A.F. Ferry Command,
10 August 1941

(last named also shown above)

Photo: © 2008, Bob MacAlister

Below:  Enlargement of flower holder shown above right, and dedicated to Radio Officer H. D. Rees.

The inscription on the holder reads:

A tribute to
Herbert Rees
from his friends
at Llanelly
1941
Gwell Angau
na Chywilydd

Photo: © 2008, Bob MacAlister

Photo: © 2008, Bob MacAlister

Photo on left:

Left stone inscription:

Radio Officer
 A. A. Oliver
 Air Transport Auxiliary
10 August 1941

Centre-left stone inscription:

Radio Officer
 G. H. Powell
 Air Transport Auxiliary
10 August 1941

Centre-right stone inscription:

Captain
 J. E. Price
(of Australia)
 R.A.F. Ferry Command,
10 August 1941, Age 30

Right stone inscription:

Radio Officer
 H.D. Rees
 Air Transport Auxiliary
10 August 1941, Age 27

(last two named also shown above)

Photo on right:

Left stone inscription:

Radio Officer
 H. C. McIntosh
 R.A.F. Ferry Command,
10 August 1941, Age 27

Centre stone inscription:

Radio Officer
 W. K. Marks
 Air Transport Auxiliary
10 August 1941

Right stone inscription:

Radio Officer
 A. A. Oliver
 Air Transport Auxiliary
10 August 1941

(last named also shown above)

Photo: © 2008, Bob MacAlister

Photo: © 2008, Bob MacAlister

Photo on left:

Left stone inscription:

Captain
W. M. KIng
 R.A.F. Ferry Command,
10 August 1941, Age 27

Centre stone inscription:

Radio Officer
G. Laing
 R.A.F. Ferry Command,
10 August 1941, Age 33

Right stone inscription:

Radio Officer
 H. C. McIntosh
 R.A.F. Ferry Command,
10 August 1941, Age 27

(last named also shown above)

Photo on right:

Left stone inscription:

Captain
 H. R. Judy
 R.A.F. Ferry Command
10 August 1941, Age 24

Centre stone inscription:

Radio Officer
 W. G. Kennedy
 R.A.F. Ferry Command
10 August 1941

Right stone inscription:

Captain
W. M. KIng
 R.A.F. Ferry Command,
10 August 1941, Age 27

(last named also shown above)

Photo: © 2008, Bob MacAlister

Photo: © 2008, Bob MacAlister

Photo on left:

Left stone inscription:

Captain
D. J. Duggan
 R.A.F. Ferry Command,
10 August 1941, Age 39

Centre stone inscription:

Captain
G. T. Harris
 R.A.F. Ferry Command,
10 August 1941

Right stone inscription:

Captain
 H. R. Judy
 R.A.F. Ferry Command
10 August 1941, Age 24

(last named also shown above)

Photo on right:

Left stone inscription:

Radio Officer
 R. B. Brammer
 R.A.F. Ferry Command
10 August 1941

Centre-left stone inscription:

Radio Officer
 J. B. Drake
(of Canada)
 R.A.F. Ferry Command
10 August 1941, Age 26

Centre-right stone inscription:

Captain
D. J. Duggan
 R.A.F. Ferry Command,
10 August 1941, Age 39

Right stone inscription:

Captain
G. T. Harris
 R.A.F. Ferry Command,
10 August 1941

(last two named also shown above)

Photo: © 2008, Bob MacAlister

Photo: © 2008, Bob MacAlister

Photo on left:

Left stone inscription:

Captain
J. J. Anderson
 R.A.F. Ferry Command,
10 August 1941

Centre stone inscription:

Captain
F. D. Bradbrooke
 Air Transport Auxiliary
10 August 1941

Right stone inscription:

Radio Officer
 R. B. Brammer
 R.A.F. Ferry Command
10 August 1941

(last named also shown above)

Below: The neat row of headstones at Kilbride Cemetery, Lamlash, create a lasting and poignant memorial to those who died so tragically in this accident.

Photo: © 2008, Bob MacAlister

To view other aircraft, please go to the Crash Index page.