THE military personnel stationed at the Marine Aircraft Experimental Establishment in Rhu – also known as ‘RAF Helensburgh’ – did dangerous work putting flying boats to the test during the Second World War.
Crashes were far from infrequent; deaths, sadly, not unheard of. But what is perhaps not so widely known is that one such incident might, with a different outcome, have had a huge impact on how British aviation developed in the years after the war.
Seventy-nine years ago this week – on Wednesday, March 15, 1944 – one of those experimental craft, the flying boat Short Scion L9786, took off from Rhu and promptly crashed into the Gareloch, killing scientific officer Graham White.
White was one of three men on board the aircraft. The other two, pilot John Johnson and White’s fellow scientific officer James Hamilton, survived.
James has been mentioned in the Advertiser in an RAF Helensburgh context before.
Having studied at Edinburgh University, he was posted to the MAEE almost immediately after graduating in 1943, and went on to spend nine years with the unit, first in Rhu and then, after the war ended, when it was moved back to its previous home, at Felixstowe in Suffolk, eventually rising through its ranks to become its head of flight research.
His contribution to Britain’s aviation story was not limited to his work with the MAEE, though. On leaving the unit he moved to the Royal Aircraft Establishment in Farnborough, Hampshire, becoming the head of its project division in 1964.
A year later James was made director of the project to build the first Anglo-French combat aircraft, later to be named the Jaguar – and then, in 1966, Harold Wilson’s Labour government made him the head of the British side of another Anglo-French initiative – the Concorde passenger jet.
It was he who was responsible for the design of the Concorde’s wing, in particular the subtle twist that enabled it to cruise at twice the speed of sound while still providing enough lift for safe take-offs and landings.
James remained in government service, at the Department of Trade and Industry, the Cabinet Office and then the Department of Education and Science, until he retired in 1983 – while his work on Concorde led to his being knighted in 1978.
James Hamilton is not known to have publicly spoken about the day of the Scion crash – until now. For although he died in 2012, aged 89, it can now be revealed that shortly before his death he spoke to journalist Robin Bird about his time serving at RAF Helensburgh.
James agreed to the exclusive interview because of Robin’s own family link to the unit: Robin’s late father, Bob, was RAF Helensburgh’s official photographer.
Robin also has another first-hand account of the Scion tragedy – written by the aircraftsman who prepared the Scion for take off that fateful day.
Early morning frost on the wings, and pilot error, were blamed for the Scion crash. But Leading Aircraftman Len Townend maintained to his dying days that he had cleared the Scion of ice. The pilot then signed it off for take-off.
Hamilton explained what the Scion trial was about. He had not been at Helensburgh for long at that time having just graduated from Edinburgh University.
“The Scion had its land undercarriage replaced by an experimental hull to measure water drag,” he said.
“It was also used to hone the shape of flying boat hulls.
“Mr White needed to complete a test before writing a report.
“We set off on a bitterly cold and frosty morning. The pilot, Flight Lieutenant John Johnson, was an experienced pilot, but had few hours at the control of the Scion.
“Mr White was the senior observer in the co-pilot’s seat. I was in a seat at the rear of the aircraft with my recording instruments.
“Take-off was uneventful but the Scion soon became unstable. It crashed into the loch.
“Graham was killed. The pilot and I were injured, trapped in the sinking aircraft. We were rescued by a fishing boat and taken to the sick bay aboard the aircraft carrier HMS Biter.
“While it started to salvage the wreckage I was in the ship’s sick bay with cuts and bruises for a period of observation.
“Once discharged I returned to Helensburgh where the amateur psychologists in the scientific department said I must resume flying, or risk losing my nerve. As it happened I soon resumed flying again with no ill effects.”
The day before the Scion crash, Johnson had put a large Sunderland flying boat, ML735, through high speed trials. Like Hamilton, he quickly resumed flying duties after the crash that killed Graham White.
After the war, Johnson had another unwanted link to tragedy in the air – this time of a civilian nature.
He was the BOAC (British Overseas Airways Corporation) pilot who received the last message from Captain Alan Gibson above the Mediterranean Sea on January 10, 1954.
Johnson was flying a BOAC Argonaut en route from Rome to London; Gibson the same route, but at a higher altitude, piloting a De Havilland Comet – the world’s first commercial jet airliner – on the final leg of a journey from Singapore to Heathrow.
According to a subsequent government report, at around 9.51am that morning, Captain Johnson received a radio message from Captain Gibson, beginnning: “George How Jig [the Argonaut’s call sign] from George Yoke Peter, did you get my...”
The message then cut off. The report later concluded that the Comet had suffered an explosive decompression at altitude and crashed, killing all 29 passengers and six crew.
The time James Hamilton spent in Helensburgh, meanwhile, had another lasting effect upon his life. While here he met a local girl, Christine McKean; they tied the knot in 1947 and were married for 30 years, having three children together.
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