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Sproule, David Leigh (Flying Officer)

Killed in Flying Accident 1943-October-16

Birth Date: 1919 (age 24)

Son of Gordon St. George and Helen Louise Sproule, of Westmount, Montreal, Quebec. He was a two time Captain of the McGill University Gymnasium Team.

Home: Westmount, Quebec

Service
RCAF
Unit
131 OTU- Operational Training Unit
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
Pilot
Service Numbers
J/13096

Canso I AH551

Operational 1943-October-16 to 1943-October-16

131 Operational Training Unit, the Catalina aircraft AH 551 operated on a training flight out of RAF Killadeas. The wing dipped during a practice stall. The aircraft had almost recovered when it hit a hillside and crashed at the St Angelo VHF receiving station, County Fermanagh.

Inquiry final recommendation was for a minimum altitude of 3000 feet AGL prior to attempting a practice stall on a Catalina aircraft. Of the 10 on board, only the 2 blister gunners survived with injuries.

Sgt JM Allen R/85646 FE RCAF Burried Irvimestown, Sacred Heart, RC Churchyard; Sqn Ldr PG Cooper 42803 Pilot RAF Burried Morden Cemetery, London; FO FH Grainger J/12769 Pilot RCAF Burried Irvinestown CofI Churchyard; WO GF Hardy 905414 FM RAF Burried Mortlake Cemetery London; Sgt JH Hodgson R/178888 AG Burried Irvinestown CofI Churchyard; Sgt VH Louis R97709 FE RCAF Burried Irvinestown Sacred Heart RC Churchyard; FO DL Sproule J/13096 Pilot RCAF Burried Irvinestown CofI Churchyard; Flt Sgt D Mudd 1017561 RAF Burried Cawthorne Cemetery Yorkshire

131 Operational Training Unit. Catalina aircraft AH 551 crashed at the St Angelo VHF receiving station, County Fermanagh. F/O F.H. Grainger, Sgts V.H. Louis, J.M. Allen, J.H. Hodgson, and three of the crew, not Canadians, were also killed.

Canada Source Canadian Virtual War Memorial

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

Crew on Canso I AH551

Consolidated Canso Catalina PBY PB2B A-10 OA-10 Black Cat

RCAF Canso A (Serial No. 9754), No. 162 Squadron, F/L David Ernest Hornell aircraft.

The Consolidated Catalina and Canso were close cousins. The Canso was the true amphibious version of the design and therefore included a conventional undercarriage to allow for either water or land use. The Canso provided more than two decades of valuable service to the RCAF. The Catalina variant came first and was produced beginning in 1935 for the United States Navy. The amphibious version, designated PBY-5A, came in service early in 1941 and the RCAF began using the aircraft on anti-submarine patrols that same year. After the Second World War, the RCAF used Cansos for search and rescue, Arctic survey missions and various transport operations. RCAF

YouTube Canso PBY

Wkikpedia Wikipedia Canso PBY

General Harold A Skaarup Web Page

CASPIR Aircraft Groups:
RCAF On Strength (274), RCAF 400 Squadron (13), Canadian Aircraft Losses (82)
last update: 2022-03-15 19:52:22

Canso I AH551


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