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Mastes, J G (Sergeant)

Killed in Flying Accident 1956-May-29

Male Head

Birth Date: unkown date (age unknown)

Service
Unit
3 AFS- Advanced Flying School
Base
Gimli, Manitoba, Canada
Rank
Position
Service Numbers

NATO Flying Training Student, Unknown Country.

1956-05-29 - Flying Officer JD Young and 2/Lt E Sutas in T-33 21251 and Sergeant JG Mastes in T-33 21426 collided and were killed at 0928 hours near Netley. They were the second section of a four plane formation carrying out beacon let down practice. All bodies were found in the marshes of Netley Lake, Manitoba. There was a fog up to 1,300 feet ASL over the Netley Marshes at the time of the accident. The wreckage was found 4 1/2 miles bearing 100 degrees from the Netley airfield in the Netley Lake. The aircraft had exploded and disintegrated on impact and was under four feet of water with small bits of metal showing above the surface. The three parachutes were found all opened and streamed within 150 yards of the aircraft wreckage. The cause of the crash was assumed to be collision during authorized syllabus formation flying and temporarily assessed as pilot error.

Canada Primary Source Station Historical Record "“ RCAF Station Gimli - 1956-05-29

This incident involved multiple aircraft:

  1. Silver Star 3PT Serial: 21251
  2. Silver Star 3PT Serial: 21426

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

Silver Star 21426

Silver Star 21251

Lockheed CT-133 Silver Star Shooting Star T-33 T-33A CT-33

Source: Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum

The Canadair CT-133 Silver Star (company model number CL-30) is the Canadian license-built version of the Lockheed T-33 jet trainer aircraft, in service from the 1950s to 2005.

The Canadair CT-133 was the result of a 1951 contract to build T-33 Shooting Star trainers for the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF). The powerplant is a Rolls-Royce Nene 10 turbojet instead of the Allison J33 used by Lockheed in the production of the original T-33. A project designation of CL-30 was given by Canadair and the name was changed to Silver Star. The appearance of the CT-133 is very distinctive due to the large fuel tanks usually carried on each wingtip. A total of 656 CT-133 aircraft were built by Canadair.

The CT-133 entered service in the RCAF as its primary training aircraft for fighter/interceptors. The designation of the Silver Star in the Canadian Forces was CT-133.

The CT-133's service life in the RCAF (and later the Canadian Forces) was extremely long. One of the more unusual roles it played was as an aerobatic demonstration aircraft, the RCAF's Red Knight. Although the aircraft stopped being used as a trainer in 1976, there were still over 50 aircraft in Canadian Forces inventory in 1995. The youngest of these airframes was then 37 years old and had exceeded its expected life by a factor of 2.5. During this period, the Canadair T-33 was employed in communication, target towing, and enemy simulation. Wikipedia

Wkikpedia Wikipedia Canadair CT-133 Silver Star

General Harold A Skaarup Web Page

last update: 2021-10-15 17:42:49

Silver Star 3PT 21426

Received at 1 Pilot Weapons School RCAF Station MacDonald. Cat A crash 28 May 1956. At the time of this crash the aircraft was being employed at RCAF Station Gimli, Manitoba, likely with 3 Advanced Flying School. Collided with T-33 21251 and crashed into Lake Winnipeg. Strike off. 1 fatal. NATO pilot.

The 1956-05-29 crash involved this aircraft and T-33 - 21426. The crash occurred over Netley Marsh, Manitoba at the south end of Lake Winnipeg. At the time of the crash T-33 - 21251 was crewed by Flying Officer J.D. Dewar and NATO Flying Trainee 2nd Lieutenant Erdogan Sutas, both men were killed. T-33 - 21426 was being flown by NATO Flying Trainee Flight Sergeant J.G. Mastes, he was also killed. 2 of the bodies were recovered on the day of the accident. The last body was recovered some days later.

Canada Primary Source Station Historical Record "“ RCAF Station Gimli - 1956-05-29

General Aviation-Safety.net Wikibase


1954-09-28 Taken on Strength 2022-02-07
1956-May-29 Accident: 3 Advanced Flying School Loc: Names:
1956-06-22 Struck off Strength 2022-02-07

Silver Star 21251

Silver Star 3PT 21251

Received at 3 Advanced Flying School RCAF Station Gimli. Cat A crash 29 May 1956. Strike off and scrap.

The 1956-05-29 crash involved this aircraft and T-33 - 21426. The crash occurred over Netley Marsh, Manitoba at the south end of Lake Winnipeg. At the time of the crash T-33 - 21251 was crewed by Flying Officer J.D. Dewar and NATO Flying Trainee 2nd Lieutenant Erdogan Sutas, both men were killed. T-33 - 21426 was being flown by NATO Flying Trainee Flight Sergeant J.G. Mastes, he was also killed. 2 of the bodies were recovered on the day of the accident. The last body was recovered some days later.

{{link,canadaprimary,https://heritage.canadiana.ca/view/oocihm.lac_reel_c12187/1102,Station Historical Record "“ RCAF Station Gimli - 1956-05-29}} {{link,general,https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/305624,Aviation-Safety.net Wikibase}}
1954-03-24 Taken on Strength per Record Card 2022-06-17
1956-May-29 Accident: 3 Advanced Flying School Loc: Names: Mastes | Sutas | Young
1956-06-22 Struck off Strength 2022-02-07

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