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Thompson, Merwyn Ronald (Pilot Officer)

Killed in Flying Accident 1943-January-23

Birth Date: 1923-March-09 (age 19)

Son of Gordon P. Thompson and Maud E. Thompson, of Windsor.

Home: Windsor, Ontario

Service
RCAF
Unit
7 EFTS- Elementary Flying Training School
Base
Windsor, Ontario, Canada
Rank
Pilot Officer
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
Service Numbers
J/22994
7 Elementary Flying Training School, Windsor, Ontario. P/Os Thompson and H.B. Lawrence were engaged in an instrument flying exercise and were killed when Tiger Moth aircraft 8883 dove into the ground ten miles east of the aerodrome at Windsor.

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)

Burial
Google Map Victoria Cemetery, Canada
Sec 467 Block L Grave 6

Crew on Moth, Tiger I 8883

de Havilland DH 82 Tiger Moth

Source: Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum (serial # RCAF 8922), credit Rick Radell

The de Havilland DH.82 Tiger Moth is a 1930s British biplane designed by Geoffrey de Havilland and built by the de Havilland Aircraft Company. It was operated by the Royal Air Force (RAF) and many other operators as a primary trainer aircraft. In addition to the type's principal use for ab-initio training, the Second World War saw RAF Tiger Moths operating in other capacities, including maritime surveillance and defensive anti-invasion preparations; some aircraft were even outfitted to function as armed light bombers.

The Tiger Moth remained in service with the RAF until it was succeeded and replaced by the de Havilland Chipmunk during the early 1950s. Many of the military surplus aircraft subsequently entered into civil operation. Many nations have used the Tiger Moth in both military and civil applications, and it remains in widespread use as a recreational aircraft in several countries. It is still occasionally used as a primary training aircraft, particularly for those pilots wanting to gain experience before moving on to other tailwheel aircraft.

Overseas manufacturing of the type commenced in 1937, the first such overseas builder being de Havilland Canada at its facility in Downsview, Ontario. In addition to an initial batch of 25 Tiger Moths that were built for the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF), the Canadian firm began building fuselages which were exported to the UK for completion. Canadian-built Tiger Moths featured modifications to better suit the local climate, along with a reinforced tail wheel, hand-operated brakes (built by Bendix Corporation), shorter undercarriage radius rods and the legs of the main landing gear legs being raked forwards as a safeguard against tipping forwards during braking. In addition the cockpit had a large sliding canopy fitted along with exhaust-based heating; various alternative undercarriage arrangements were also offered. By the end of Canadian production, de Havilland Canada had manufactured a total of 1,548 of all versions. Wikipedia

Wkikpedia Wikipedia de Havilland Tiger Moth

General Harold A Skaarup Web Page

YouTube YouTube de Havilland DH.82A Tiger Moth

CASPIR Aircraft Groups:
RCAF On Strength (1414), RCAF 400 Squadron (3), Canadian Aircraft Losses (107)
last update: 2022-08-24 12:34:41

Moth, Tiger I 8883

Delivered to stored reserve. Issued from storage on 15 June 1942, for use by No. 7 Elementary Flying Training School at Windsor, Ontario. Aircraft broke through snow crust while taxiing at Windsor on 7 January 1943, failed to turn and struck an aerodrome marker. No injury to lone occupant. Originally classified as Category C damage. Assigned to No. 6 Repair Depot for "further reports" on 4 February 1943, following this crash. Delivered there on 22 February 1943.
1942-05-20 Taken on Strength No. 1 Training Command 2019-08-20
1942-August-09 Accident: 7 Elementary Flying Training School Loc: Aerodrome Names: Miss Abbou
1943-January-23 Accident: 7 Elementary Flying Training School Loc: Aerodrome Names: Lawrence | Thompson
1943-04-28 Struck off Strength Struck off, reduced to spares and produce 2019-08-20

7 EFTS- Elementary Flying Training School (7 Elementary Flying Training School)

An Elementary Flying Training School (EFTS) gave a trainee 50 hours of basic flying instruction on a simple trainer like the De Havilland Tiger Moth, Fleet Finch, or Fairchild Cornell over 8 weeks.Elementary schools were operated by civilian flying clubs under contract to the RCAF and most of the instructors were civilians. For example, No. 12 EFTS Goderich was run by the Kitchener-Waterloo Flying Club and the County of Huron Flying Club.The next step for a pilot was the Service Flying Training School.
Crew Preparations Fleet Finch

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