Coalbran, Alfred Henry
Killed in Flying Accident 1942-09-24
Birth Date: 1921
Born:
Alfred & Edith Coalbran. of Hollington, St. Leonards-on-Sea, Sussex, England.
Home:
Enlistment:
Enlistment Date: Unknown
Service
RAFVR
Unit
2 WS- Wireless School
Base
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Rank
Sergeant
Position
Sergeant
Service Numbers
1332054
First Burial
Burnsland Cemetery, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Took off from No.2 Wireless School, Calgary Alberta.
Aircraft crashed in a field approx. 8 miles West of Beiseker, Alberta. Pilot killed, RCAF WT student seriously injured.
Killed:Sergeant Alfred Henry Coalbran RAF KIFA Burnsland Cemetery Calgary Lot 34. Block 8. Sec. G.
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
www.findagrave.com
Library and Archives Canada Service Files (may not exist)This incident involved multiple aircraft:
- Fort Serial: 3596
All the above aircraft in the above list are referenced in this report.
Fleet Fort
Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum
The Fleet 60K Fort was designed by Fleet Aircraft in Fort Erie, Ontario in 1939 and its first flight took place there on March 21 1940. RCAF evaluation at the Central Flying School, Trenton, Ontario showed it to be suitable as an intermediate trainer and so the RCAF placed an order for 200 Model 60Ks. The name Fort was selected for it.
The first production aircraft flew in May 1941 and once in service some problems emerged. Flying characteristics were good overall, but an unskilled pilot could get into trouble during certain manoeuvres. In late 1941, the RCAF began to question the concept of the intermediate trainer and soon it was deemed to be unnecessary. With its elimination, the RCAF reduced the order to 100 Forts and then had to decide what to do with them.
It chose to use the Fort as wireless operator trainer, with the rear cockpit filled with radio equipment. Conversion was carried out by early 1942 and the remodeled aircraft were sent to Wireless Training Schools in Calgary and Winnipeg. The schools did not rate the Fort very highly, but continued to use them to train thousands of wireless operators, between 1942 and 1944.
By early 1944 the Fleet Fort was found to obsolete for wireless operator training and the aircraft was gradually phased out - the last being retired from the Calgary Wireless School in July 1944. Once retired, the RCAF had no further use for them and most were sold off, even before the end of the war.
Canadian Warplane Heritage Musuem's Fleet Fort was part of the original aircraft that first flew in 1940 and was operated by the National Research Council's Aircraft Testing Deptartment in Ottawa. In 1942, it was assigned to No. 2 Wireless School in Calgary, where it was flown until mid 1944. The Museum acquired the fuselage, an engine and one wing of this rare aircraft in 1979. A group of retired Fleet employees and friends started work on restoring it in 1980. After 13 years, the Fort returned to the air in 1993. It is the only airworthy example of this type in existence.Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum
Harold A Skaarup Web Page 2 WS (2 Wireless School)
Trainees in the "Wireless Air Gunner" (WAG) stream spent 24 weeks at a Wireless Schoo learning the theory and application of wireless communications. This included signalling with lights and flags as well as radio. Their "WAG" training was completed with four weeks at a Bombing & Gunnery School.
RCAF.info - RCAF Station Calgary AB - 2 WS 
YouTube - Valour Canada Aerodrome of DemocracyFort 3596
Fort 3596
Category A damage on 24 September 1942 at Calgary, Alberta.1942-01-14 Taken on Strength 2019-08-20
1942-September-24 Accident: 2 Wireless School Loc: Beisiker Names: Coalbran | Mcdougall
1943-03-12 Struck off Strength 2019-08-20