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Cook, Francis Ross (Leading Aircraftman)

Killed in Flying Accident 1941-December-04

Male Head

Birth Date: 1917-May-28 (age 24)

Francis & Mabel Cook

Home: Newmarket, Ontario (parents)

Service
RCAF
Unit
16 SFTS- Service Flying Training School
Base
Hagersville, Ontario, Canada
Rank
Leading Aircraftman
Marshal
Air Chief MarshalA/C/M
Air MarshalA/M
Air Vice MarshalA/V/M
Air CommodoreA/C
Group CaptainG/C
Wing CommanderW/C
Squadron LeaderS/L
Flight LieutenantF/L
Flying OfficerF/O
Pilot OfficerP/O
Warrant Officer 1st ClassWO1
Warrant Officer 2nd ClassWO2
Flight SergeantFS
SergeantSGT
CorporalCPL
Senior AircraftmanSAC
Leading AircraftmanLAC
Aircraftman 1st ClassAC1
Aircraftman 2nd ClassAC2
Position
pilot-trainee
Service Numbers
R/100837

16 Service Flying Training School, Hagersville, Ontario. Anson aircraft 6477 and Anson 6734 collided during the landing approach at the aerodrome.

LAC Cook was in aircraft 6477 and was the only casualty. The occupants of 6734 as survivors, are not identified, nor is the instructor in 6477.

Canada Source Canadian Virtual War Memorial

Commonwealth War Graves Commission Commonwealth War Graves Commission

Find-A-Grave.com Find-A-Grave.com

Canada Primary Source Library and Archives Canada Service Files (may not exist)

This incident involved multiple aircraft:

  1. Anson Mk. I 6477
  2. Anson Mk. I 6734

All the aircraft in the above list are in this report.

There were no casulaties listed on Anson Mk. I 6734

Avro Anson

Avro Anson Mk. V
Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum
The Museum's Anson Mk. V was built by MacDonald Brothers in Winnipeg in 1944. It flew with No. 7 Photographic Wing and No. 414 Squadron in Ottawa on photo survey work until the late 1940s. In 1956, it was purchased by INCO and used for mineral surveying until 1980, when it was donated to the Museum. The exterior is painted in the yellow colour common to all BCATP trainers and is in its same wartime RCAF markings.

The Avro Anson was known by a number of nicknames including "Faithful Annie" or "Flying Greenhouse". It was the first aircraft to be flown by the Royal Canadian Air Force to have a retractable undercarriage, which was a comparative novelty in 1936. In 1940, a Canadian government owned company, Federal Aircraft Limited, was created in Montreal to manufacture the Anson for Canadian use. Nearly 3,000 Anson aircraft were produced and, in the early days of the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan (BCATP), the Anson was the standard trainer for many pilots, observers (navigators), wireless operators and bomb aimers. More than 20,000 aircrew received training on the Anson. In Canadian service, the aircraft was substantially re-designed with the substitution of North American engines and many other airframe and equipment changes. Harold Skaarup web pages

General Harold A Skaarup Web Page

YouTube Avro Anson History

YouTube Avro Anson Construction

CASPIR Aircraft Groups:
RCAF On Strength (4404), RCAF 400 Squadron (6), Canadian Aircraft Losses (257)
last update: 2022-02-22 21:45:24

Anson Mk. I 6477

Ex RAF W2226. To No. 1 Training Command on 2 May 1941, for use by No. 5 Service Flying Training School at Brantford, Ontario. Category C10 damage at 08:35 on 19 June 1941, at Ononadaga, Ontario. Category A crash at 17:00 on 4 December 1941 at the Hagersville aerodrome, reported by No. 16 Service Flying Training School at Hagersville. Collided on approach with Anson 6734. Pilot in this aircraft, LAC F.R. Cook, killed. Scrapped by No. 6 Repair Depot.
1941-04-23 Taken on Strength Ottawa Car & Aircraft 2019-08-20
1941-June-19 Accident: 5 Service Flying Training School Loc: Onondaga Ontario Names: Barnard | Croft | Taylor
1941-December-04 Accident: 16 Service Flying Training School Loc: Aerodrome Names: Cook | Toupin
1942-03-27 Struck off Strength Struck off, reduced to spares and produce 2019-08-20

Anson Mk. I 6734

Ex RAF W2521. To No. 1 Training Command on 5 August 1941, for use by No. 16 Service Flying Training School at Hagersville, Ontario. Minor damage at 11:30 on 27 September 1941, when Anson 6735 struck this aircraft while taxiing. Category A crash at Hagersville aerodrome at 17:10 on 4 December 1941. Collided on approach with Anson 6477. No fatalities in this aircraft, but student pilot in 6477 was killed. Scrapped by No. 6 Repair Depot.
1941-07-17 Taken on Strength de Havilland Canada 2020-10-05
1941-September-27 Accident: 16 Service Flying Training School Loc: Aerodrome Names: Fadden
1941-December-04 Accident: 16 Service Flying Training School Loc: Aerodrome Names: Cook | Toupin
1942-05-01 Struck off Strength Struck off, reduced to spares and produce 2019-08-20

16 SFTS- Service Flying Training School (16 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.

Class115 SFTS16

For More Info on RCAF Station Hagersville see here

  • RCAF Roundel RCAF.info - RCAF Station Hagersville ON

  • RCAF Roundel RCAF.info - Relief Landing Field Cayuga ON

  • RCAF Roundel RCAF.info - Relief Landing Field Dufferin ON

  • General 16 SFTS Hagersville ON History Blog

    • 1941-08-08 Primary Location Hagersville ON Canada Abandoned now home of Hagerstville Industrial park.
    1941-08-08 Relief Field Dufferin On Canada Abandoned returned to agriculture. Approximate location.
    1941-08-08 Relief Field Cayuga ON Canada Abandoned now site of Cayuga International Dragway Park

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