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Weeks, Harry Heustis (Flying Officer)

Killed in Flying Accident 1942-04-27

Birth Date: 1892-04-14 (age 50)

Son of Joseph and Annie Weeks, of Amherst, Nova Scotia; husband of Inez Cathleen Weeks, of Edmonton.

Husband of Inez Cathleen Weeks, of Edmonton.

Home: Amherst, Nova Scotia

Service
RCAF
Unit
3 SFTS- Service Flying Training School
Base
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Rank
Flying 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
Service Numbers
C/3931
F/O Weeks was a Link Trainer Instructor and was engaged in a Wings Test when Cessna Crane aircraft 8701 and Fleet Fort aircraft 3591 were in a mid-air collision over the airdrome at Calgary. LAC B.A. Flatt, F/L. H.M. Rawlings, and F/O Weeks were all killed in the Crane.

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. Crane Mk. I 8701
  2. Fort 3591
  3. Fort 3591

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

Burial
Google Map Edmonton Cemetery, Canada
Block 11 Sub Div L Grave 4

Crew on Crane Mk. I 8701

There were no casulaties listed on Fort 3591

There were no casulaties listed on Fort 3591

Cessna Crane

Cessna Crane Mk. I
Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum

The Cessna T-50 Crane was the RCAF version of the Cessna AT-17 Bobcat, a twin-engined advanced trainer designed and made in the USA during the Second World War. It served to bridge the gap between single-engined trainers and twin-engined combat aircraft.

First flown in 1939, the American-built Cessna Crane was developed as a five-seat, light transport civilian aircraft. It was originally intended to serve only a minor role within the BCATP (an initial 180 were ordered in 1940) until the Canadian-built Avro Ansons became available in greater numbers. This was the first large order that Cessna had received for one of its products. Eventually, more than 5,400 Cranes would be produced, of which 826 saw service with the RCAF. Cessna Cranes were used primarily to teach future bomber pilots, after they had received their initial training, to fly multi-engined aircraft at Service Flying Training Schools in western Canada.

Powered by 245-horsepower Jacobs R-755-9 radial engines, Cessna Cranes featured wooden wings and tail married to a fuselage constructed of welded steel tubing. Most of the aircraft was fabric-covered. It was cheap, reliable and relatively easy to fly, with a top speed of 315 kilometres (195 miles) per hour.

The Crane provided twin-engined complexity with economy of operation and went on to become one of the most important aircraft used by the BCATP. Cranes continued to serve with the RCAF until 1947, after which many were purchased by private individuals and companies.

Nicknamed the Bamboo Bomber because of its largely wood construction, the Crane had a reputation as a stable and reliable aircraft. Although not an ideal training aircraft because of its poor single-engined performance and load-carrying capability, it performed its duties satisfactorily and helped train several thousand bomber pilots. Bomber Command Museum of Canada

YouTube Cessna Crane Trainer

Wkikpedia Wikipedia Crane Trainer

General Harold A Skaarup Web Page

CASPIR Aircraft Groups:
RCAF On Strength (826), RCAF 400 Squadron (3), Canadian Aircraft Losses (81)
last update: 2021-08-30 15:20:54

Crane Mk. I 8701

First assigned to No. 3 Service Flying Training School at Calgary, Alberta. Category A crash at 14:37 on 27 April 1942. Collided with Fort 3591 over the Calgary aerodrome. The Fort landed safely without further damage. Had 234:15 logged time when written off. All 3 occupants of this aircraft killed: instructor Flight Lieutenant H.M. Rowlings, student LAC B.A. Flatt and 50 year old link instructor Flying Officer H.H. Weeks, who was along for a ride during a wings test.
1942-01-17 Taken on Strength No. 4 Training Command 2019-08-20
1942-April-27 Accident: 3 Service Flying Training School Loc: Aerodrome Names: Flatt | Rowlings | Weeks
1942-April-27 Accident: 2 Wireless School Loc: Calgary Names: Newell | Simpson
1942-06-09 Struck off Strength Written off, scrapped at No. 3 SFTS 2019-08-20


Fort 3591

Category B damage at 14:37 on 27 April 1942 while with No. 3 Service Flying Training School at Calgary, Alberta. Collided with Crane 8701 over the Calgary aerodrome, the Crane was written off.
1941-12-30 Taken on Strength 2019-08-20
1942-April-27 Accident: 2 Wireless School Loc: Calgary Names: Newell | Simpson
1942-April-27 Accident: 3 Service Flying Training School Loc: Aerodrome Names: Flatt | Rowlings | Weeks
1943-March-02 Accident: 2 Wireless School Loc: Near Crossfield Alberta Names: Cato | Forsyth
1943-05-12 Struck off Strength 2019-08-20


Fort 3591

Category B damage at 14:37 on 27 April 1942 while with No. 3 Service Flying Training School at Calgary, Alberta. Collided with Crane 8701 over the Calgary aerodrome, the Crane was written off.
1941-12-30 Taken on Strength 2019-08-20
1942-April-27 Accident: 2 Wireless School Loc: Calgary Names: Newell | Simpson
1942-April-27 Accident: 3 Service Flying Training School Loc: Aerodrome Names: Flatt | Rowlings | Weeks
1943-March-02 Accident: 2 Wireless School Loc: Near Crossfield Alberta Names: Cato | Forsyth
1943-05-12 Struck off Strength 2019-08-20

3 SFTS- Service Flying Training School (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 Roundel RCAF.info - RCAF Station Lincoln Park, Currie, Calgary Alberta

  • RCAF Roundel RCAF.info - Relief Landing Field Shepard Alberta

  • Museum Bomber Command Museum of Canada

  • General 3 SFTS Blog

  • General 3 SFTS Regimbal Chace Accident

  • 1940-10-28 Primary Location Calgary AB Canada Airport closed in 1964 and now developed into an urban development.
    1940-10-28 Relief Field Shepard, AB Canada Now part of SE Calgary AB

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