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Hughes, Gerald Clark (Warrant Officer 1st Class)

Killed in Flying Accident 1943-August-19

Birth Date: 1918-July-19 (age 25)

Born: Calgary Alberta

Son of Mr. and Mrs. Allan Hughes of Regina

Husband of Joyce Hughes, of Saskatoon.

Home: Regina, Saskatchewan

Service
RCAF
Unit
3 WS- Wireless School
Base
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
Rank
Warrant Officer 1st Class
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
R/83992
Fleet Fort aircraft 3629 was engaged in a wireless exercise when it was in a mid-air collision with Anson aircraft 6505. The Anson landed safely but the Fleet Fort went out of control and crashed at Stevenson Field, Winnipeg. Warrant Officer Hughes was the only casualty.

Canada Primary Source School Daily Diary Entry "“ 1943-08-19

This incident involved multiple aircraft:

  1. Fort Serial: 3629
  2. Anson Mk. I Serial: 6505

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

Canada Source Canadian Virtual War Memorial

Commonwealth War Graves Commission Commonwealth War Graves Commission

Find-A-Grave.com Finadagrave.com

Saskatchewan Virtual War Memorial Saskatchewan Virtual War Memorial

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

Home
Google MapRegina, Saskatchewan
Burial
Google MapRegina Cemetery
Block C Plot 1 Grave 35

Fort 3629

Warrant Officer 1st Class Hughes, Gerald Clark (RCAF)
Pilot
Killed in Flying Accident
1943-August-19
Regina Cemetery, Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada

Fleet Fort

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

General Harold A Skaarup Web Page

last update: 2021-10-18 19:06:22

Fort 3629

Assigned to No. 2 Training Command. With No. 3 Wireless School at Winnipeg when it collided with Anson 6505 near Winnipeg on 19 August 1943. Category A damage to the Fort, pilot Warrant Officer G.C. Hughes killed, student Leading Aircraftman K.L. Watkins, RAAF injured. Fort descended into Anson on short final, collision took place at 125 feet.

1942-03-05 Taken on Strength 2019-08-20
1943-April-08 Accident: 3 Wireless School Loc: Stevenson Field Winnipeg Names: Hillyer | Whitehead
1943-August-19 Accident: 3 Wireless School Loc: Stevenson Field Winnipeg Names: Hughes | Rollins | Watkins
1943-09-16 Struck off Strength 2019-08-20

Anson 6505

Anson Mk. I 6505

Ex RAF W2178. Winter conversion kit installed during assembly at MacDonald Brothers. To No. 2 Training Command on 26 May 1941. To MacDonald Brothers Aircraft in Winnipeg for overhaul, 22 March to 12 May 1943. To storage with No. 2 Training Command when completed, issued from storage on 19 May 1943. With No. 3 Wireless Training School at Winnipeg. Category B damage in collision with Fort 3629 on 19 August 1943. Fort descended into Anson on short final, collision took place at 125 feet. One fatality and one serious injury in Fort, no injuries in Anson. To MacDonald Brothers for crash repairs, 2 September to 12 October 1943. To storage with No. 2 Training Command when completed, issued from storage on 1 November 1943. To No. 2 Air Command on 1 December 1944. Pending disposal from 14 February 1945. Stored at No. 10 Surplus Equipment Holding Unit. Also stored at No. 3 Surplus Equipment Holding Unit at Swift Current, Saskatchewan, where it was noted with 3108:50 total time, 1151:45 since overhaul.

1941-04-07 Taken on Strength MacDonald Brothers Aircraft 2019-08-20
1943-August-19 Accident: 3 Wireless School Loc: Stevenson Field Winnipeg Names: Hughes | Rollins | Watkins
1946-10-08 Struck off Strength Struck off, to War Assets Corporation for disposal 2019-08-20

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