Bristol Scout, Imbros

[Yorkie1964]

[pete-c]

Bristol Scout Type C '1261' was part of 3 Wing, circa September 1915,  then C Flight, A Squadron, 2 Wing, from December to August 1916.   The other machine could be '1262', '1263', or '1264'.

[Yorkie1964]

Thank you pete-c here are some more pictures. 

[Yorkie1964]

Last picture Bristol Scout ???

[Eschwege1917]

Last picture Bristol Scout ???

 

All airplanes except in the first photo are B.E.2c and they are shown at the 2 Wing's aerodrome on the island of Imbros. Initially (August 1915) they were handed to 3 Wing, again on Imbros, but only a couple of months later they were transferred to 2 Wing. They were powered by a 70hp Renault engine. '1129' was most probably the aircraft involved in an accident (crash due to gusty weather) near the aerodrome on 10 Dec 1915; pilot was seriously injured and observer was killed.

 

In the first picture, which shows '1129' "flying for the 2nd flight", visible is one of the 2 Wing Bessoneau hangars with an Avro 504 in front.

 

Attached below is a google map of the island of Imbros (now it belongs to Turkey) with the places of interest marked in red.

 

Regards,

Paschalis P.

 

[Yorkie1964]

Thank you Paschalis P I'll pass this information on to the album holder.

[b3rn]

The crashed aeroplane is almost certainly BE2c 1126 of 2 Wing RNAS, and the unfortunate observer CPO Wallace McLellan. The distinctive surface of the salt lake is clearly visible.

 

I've attached a then-and-now composite showing this aeroplane taking off from the aerodrome on that fatal day. The photograph is by RNAS observer Bill Pollard. I took the modern view in 2016, standing on the hill behind the aerodrome, close to where Pollard stood.

 

Here are my notes.

 

Headquarters, RNAS
Report for week ending Oct 12th 1915.
2nd Wing
It is regretted that on the 12th inst. an accident occurred in which the observer was killed, the pilot seriously injured and the machine wrecked. The accident, which occurred near the 2nd.Wing Aerodrome, was probably due to the gusty northerly wind which was blowing at the time. During the high winds difficult flying conditions prevail at this aerodrome owing to strong remous and eddies caused by the hilly nature of the island. At such times getting off the ground and landing are difficult.
Source: AIR 1/361/15/228/50

 

BE2c 1126 airborne, a few minutes before it crashed.
"12 Oct 1915. Air photographs of gun emplacements on Gallipoli Peninsula were ordered by the CO. Another photographer, CPO Wallace McLellan, and myself requested to go. We tossed up a halfpenny, all we had between us, ‘Mac’ won the toss and went out to the BE2c waiting. Machine took off, did one circuit and sideslipped into the salt lake. ‘Mac’ was killed and pilot seriously injured. ‘Mac’ was buried next day at the British Cemetery next to Captain Collett (son of the Lord Mayor of London) of No 3 Wing RNAS whose machine caught fire in the air which I saw on arrival at Mudros."
Source: Cross & Cockade International 38/2 2007
From the album of a Petty Officer Photographic Air Mechanic F5533 William ‘Bill’ Pollard
edited by Mick Davis

Edited 21 January , 2018 by b3rn

[pete-c]

Thanks for this great composition Bern.  I'm sure Bill Pollard is up there now thinking what he could do with today's technology!   The surrounding topography hasn't changed a great deal in the last 100 plus years, has it.

[Eschwege1917]

Second thoughts support Bern's opinion that the crashed airplane is indeed B.E.2c '1126' and not '1129'.

 

Last night I exchanged mails with good friend Peter (pete-c) and discussed the posibility that the caption on the back of the photo of the crash might be wrong. There is another interesting photo of the crash site in CCI Vol38.2 (page 74) taken by William (Bill) Pollard which shows the port side of the aircraft; the tail appears in a different angle but this could be the result of the rescue efforts. The observer, CPO Wallace McLellan, was tragically killed; he is shown in happier times and just before the flight in the same CCI issue (pages 70 and 74). 

 

However, if this is the case, one wonders which airplane was involved in the unidentified crash on 10.12.15  according to Sturtivant's book (Royal Navy Aircraft Serials and Units), page 428. Or, could it be simply a transposition of month and day and thus a mistake? I wonder if AIR1/361/15/228/50 contains the answer...

 

Attached are a few images of 2 Wing B.E.2c airplanes taken on Imbros. They come from an old RNAS album. The last two images are hastily prepared positives of Pollard's original glass negatives I have in my collection. The crashed aircraft is Lt Rose's and Bastow's Morane Type L which was lost in gusty weather conditions on 26 Nov 1915; both occupants were killed. You can spot William Pollard's initials on the glass frame.

 

Rgds

Paschalis

 

P.S. Bern many thanks for the excellent "then and now" photo on Imbros...

 

 

 

    

[nils d]

The first two BE photos seen to show a dark coloured rear end , while later shots have the same area over-dosed with rudder stripes!

The latter will be later exposures thus will help date the snaps.