Vickers Wellington L7845

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Aircraft Type Photo

BELOW: An RAF Vickers Wellington bomber.

An RAF Vickers Wellington bomber in flight

Photo: Source unknown

Aircraft Type and Background

RAF Vickers Wellington Mk IC / L7845

(Click hyperlink above for RAF history of this type)

Aircraft Type Nickname: Wimpy (or Wimpey).

The Wellington was a medium bomber, of which there were 16 variants, the first Wellington bombers were powered by two 1,050 hp Bristol Pegasus Mk. I radial engines. It had a maximum speed of 235 mph (410 km/h)

Like the Vickers Wellesley, the Wellington was constructed using a geodetic (lattice) framework to provide additional strength and durability for the fuselage. As a result of this design by Barnes Wallis, Wellington bombers were able to survive and return safely to base even after sustaining considerable damage.

The first Wellingtons entered service with No. 9 Squadron RAF. Later, an improved version entered service with RAF Bomber Command. The aircraft carried a crew of six.

BELOW: A Vickers Wellington Mk IV. This aircraft had just returned from a raid on Bremen. The geodetic structure which strengthened this aircraft enabled it to return safely to base after sustaining heavy damage.

wellington mark iv after its return from bremen. fuselage severely damaged but returned safely due in part to geodetic construction

Photo: Original source unknown

Aircraft Accident Details

This Wellington bomber was on a test flight from either an airfield in former Banffshire (not RAF Banff, as this airfield was not operational until 1943) or from RAF Lossiemouth in Moray. Following this flight, it had been scheduled to take off on a bombing mission.

However, while still undergoing its test flight, the aircraft lost part of a cowling. The dislodged cowling section subsequently damaged one of the propellers, causing engine failure. The Wellington then crashed while the pilot was attempting a forced landing.

The remaining wreckage can be found in the vicinity of Muckle Cairn / East Cairn on the hills above Glen Esk in Angus.

The crash had been witnessed by the pilot of another aircraft, and his report was relayed to Scone Aerodrome (Perth). The authorities at Scone alerted the local police. Very soon P.C. Thomas Campbell headed up the glen (probably, Glen Clova) together with David Laing and David Hanton (head keeper at Cortachy Estate).

On arrival at the crash scene, the rescuers found that all crew members, except the rear gunner, had died in the accident.

Aircraft Crew Casualties

The crew who died were:

Flt / Sgt (Pilot) Arthur George Wilson Keene (23) RCAF (buried, Fettercairn Cemetery).
Sgt (Air Obs) Alfred Kirby (21) RCAF (buried, Fettercairn Cemetery).
Sgt (Obs) Joseph Weatherson (23) RAFVR (See photos further down this page.) (Buried, Hebburn Cemetery, Tyne and Wear).
Sgt W/Op , Air Gunner Oscar Knud Lerche Jensen (26) RCAF (buried, Fettercairn Cemetery).

(Please click on hyperlinked names above for further details)

Sgt Oscar K. L. Jensen's name is engraved on the family stone in Greenwood Cemetery, Carman, Manitoba.

An island in a lake in northern Manitoba is named after Oscar (Jensen Island).

See also Sven Ivar Lerche Jensen on page 2.

Memorial Photo

BELOW: A propeller section from Wellington L7845. This propeller is on display at Montrose Air Station Heritage Centre.

Each year, on Remembrance Sunday, this propeller is the focus as a memorial to the crew and others from this area.

Propeller memorial at Montrose Air Station Heritage Centre

Crash Site Photos

BELOW: A rare surviving photo showing the eerie skeletal remains of the Vickers Wellington bomber which crashed on a ridge between White Hill and Muckle Cairn in Glen Esk, Angus.

Note the geodetic structure throughout this aircraft's fuselage and wings. Although unable to protect the crew on this occasion, geodetic strengthening saved many lives by allowing combat damaged Wellingtons to continue flying and to return safely to base.

wreckage of Wellington bomber. Photo taken soon after crash occurred

Testimony of an early witness to the crash scene:

"The first time I saw this was in thick mist. I had been left with a pony on the hill to wait for a stag to be shot. Through the wind, I heard a 'tinny' sound—on and off—for about 15 minutes, but no-one answered my calls as to who was out there. I tethered the pony to a rock and walked in increasing circles around it when suddenly a large 'something' loomed into view, and then vanished again in the mist. I was scared stiff!! There should have been nothing there—then suddenly it re-appeared—the tailplane [seen in the photo above]. The tinny noise was some part of the wreckage blowing in the wind."

BELOW: The remains of Wellington L7845 at Muckle Cairn, Glen Esk. This photo was taken in 1998.

The remains of the wellington wreckage when this photo was taken in 1998

Page Selector

PAGE 2: (Air Crew Photos): Oscar Jensen and Sven Jensen

PAGE 3: (Air Crew Photos): Thomas Holman and Joseph Weatherson

Photo Gallery

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

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Crash Date / Site

Accident Date: 9 Aug 1942

Accident Site:

White Hill / Muckle Cairn / East Cairn ridge line

(Upper Glenesk)

Region: Angus

Nearest town or village:

Clova

(N of Kirriemuir)

Nearest large towns:

Kirriemuir (SE), Forfar (S) or Brechin (SE)

OS Grid Refs. 44 / 382762; NO 369759; 377766; 392767

GPS Ref: N/A

Present Condition: Although some large sections of wreckage can still be found onsite, other sections have been removed to museums in the UK. Smaller wreckage parts can be seen at Kirriemuir's Gateway to the Glens Museum.