AJ699 HARVARD

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Airframe 699
Collins Bay
Lake Ontario
Mainly Recovered
Parts used in Monument at Kingston Airport

A/LA G. Wakeling, who arrived at Kingston with No. 48 Course on January 24, had an extended stay compared to most pupils. On March 26, while flying Harvard AJ699 at an altitude of approximately 700 feet, the engine unexpectedly failed. A/LA Wakeling performed a forced landing about 2 miles west of Collins Bay. He sustained minor injuries and was subsequently transferred to No. 50 Course. However, on May 5, during night flying training, he suffered severe head injuries when his aircraft crashed into a tree during an approach to land. It was noted that, like many other injured or killed pupils, A/LA Wakeling had not fastened his Sutton harness at the time of the accident. On June 18, he was transferred to No. 54 Course and eventually returned to the United Kingdom. Although it is unclear whether he saw combat, he fortunately survived the war.

Harvard II AJ699 was involved in three other incidents during its service. In one instance, A/LA R. L. Bamford from New Zealand, D/2784, provided testimony about an accident that occurred during a formation flying-R.T. Air to Air Exercise. While changing position to become the No. 3 aircraft, his pitot head struck the port elevator of A/LA Clarabut’s aircraft (Harvard AJ657), causing it to enter a dive. A/LA Clarabut descended by parachute and eventually landed on Wolfe Island after going through the ice. A/LA Bamford circled the area to ensure Clarabut’s safety. A/LA Bamford was charged with gross carelessness in relation to the incident.

Another accident involving Harvard AJ699 took place when A/LA Bramwell FX91872 and F/O Johnson were on an over lake navigation test and collided with a bird, which struck the leading edge of the main plane. Finally, on September 3, 1943, Sgt. Scowcroft and his pupil A/LA Holstead were conducting the same exercise when they had to abandon AJ699 in Lake Ontario off Cobourg. The aircraft sank within approximately two-and-a-half minutes.