New Westminster, British Columbia
Cessna Crane aircraft 7753 was taking off and collided with Cessna Crane aircraft 8126 which was making another circuit. Pilot Officer E.W. Carlson and Leading Aircraftman A.A. McDonald (RNZAF) were killed in aircraft 7753. Flying Officer D.H. Chapman and Leading Aircraftman Walkinshaw were killed in aircraft 8126.
Walkinshaw, Gordon Mills (Leading Aircraftman)
Killed in Flying Accident 1943-February-13
Birth Date: 1923-March-03
Born:
Parents: Son of the Revd. Wingate R. Walkinshaw and Jane Walkinshaw, of New Westminster.
Spouse:
Home: New Westminster, British Columbia
Enlistment:
Enlistment Date: unkown date
Service
RCAF
Unit
3 SFTS- Service Flying Training School
Base
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Rank
Leading Aircraftman
Position
Pilot
Service Numbers
R/162747
Canadian Virtual War Memorial
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Finadagrave.com
Library and Archives Canada Service Files (may not exist)Crew or Other Personnel
Crane 8126
Accident Card - Cessna Crane Mk. I serial:8126
This accident involved 2 aircraft on 1943-February-13. They are: Cessna Crane I s/n 8126, Cessna Crane I s/n 7753.
This accident involved 4 people. Carlson EW, Chapman DHJ, MacDonald AA, Walkinshaw GM
This accident had 4 fatalities. Flying Officer Donald Hugh John Chapman RCAF Killed in Flying Accident service no:J/9361 Crane 8126, Leading Aircraftman Gordon Mills Walkinshaw RCAF Killed in Flying Accident service no:R/162747 Crane 8126,Pilot Officer Earl William Carlson RCAF Killed in Flying Accident service no:J/20575 Crane 7753, Leading Aircraftman Archibald Andrew McDonald RNZAF Killed in Flying Accident service no:422416 Crane 7753
Unit Desciption
3 SFTS (3 Service Flying Training School)
Graduates of the EFTS "learn-to-fly" program went on a Service Flying Training School (SFTS) for 16 weeks. For the first 8 weeks the trainee was part of an intermediate training squadron; for the next 6 weeks an advanced training squadron and for the final 2 weeks training was conducted at a Bombing & Gunnery School. The Service schools were military establishments run by the RCAF or the RAF.
There were two different types of Service Flying Training Schools. Trainees in the fighter pilot stream went to an SFTS like No. 14 Aylmer, where they trained in the North American Harvard or North American Yale. Trainees in the bomber, coastal or transport pilot stream went to an SFTS like No. 5 Brantford where they learned multi-engine technique in an Airspeed Oxford, Avro Anson or Cessna Crane.
Cessna Crane Midair No3 SFTS Calgary
For More Information on RCAF Station Calgary see here
RCAF.info - RCAF Station Lincoln Park, Currie, Calgary Alberta
RCAF.info - Relief Landing Field Shepard Alberta
Bomber Command Museum of Canada
3 SFTS Blog
YouTube - Valour Canada Aerodrome of Democracy