Bates, Theodore Scribner (Leading Aircraftman)

The Northrop A-17, a development of the Northrop Gamma 2F model, was a two-seat, single-engine, monoplane, attack bomber built in 1935 by the Northrop Corporation for the U.S. Army Air Corps. When in British Commonwealth service during World War II, the A-17 was called Nomad.

The Royal Canadian Air Force received 32 Nomads that had been part of a French order of 93 aircraft. When France fell in 1940, this order was taken over by Great Britain who transferred 32 of the aircraft to Canada where they were used as advanced trainers and target tugs as part of the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan. All were assigned to No. 3 Training Command RCAF.

Nomads were never used operationally overseas. Initially, the aircraft were used at Camp Borden to check out qualified civilian pilots who were offering their services to the air force. In 1941, the aircraft were modified to a target-towing configuration to allow for air-to-air gunnery training at various schools in Quebec and Ontario. In addition to being used by the RCAF in Canada, the Royal Norwegian Air Force trained some aircrew in exile on the A-17A at airports in Toronto and Muskoka. The RCAF Nomads were retired with the cessation of hostilities. The Nomads were not particularly outstanding aircraft, but they did provide reliable training service logging an average of approximately 3,000 flying hours each in their four and a half years of service. Wikipedia and Harold Skaarup web page

Wikipedia Nomad Trainer

Harold A Skaarup Web Page

Northrop Nomad - Kestrel Publications

Aircraft Images

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Nomad (Northrop) 3521

Nomad (Northrop) 3521

Delivered marked as NX-N46. First assigned to No. 1 Service Flying Training School, Air Traffic Services, Camp Borden, Ontario. Category "A" accident on 13 Dec 1940 at Camp Borden, Ontario. Nomad #3503 had gone missing on a solo formation flight with two other a/c on 12 Dec 1940. Nomad a/c #'s 3512 and 3521 were assigned on 13 Dec 1940 in good flying conditions to execute a search along the projected flight path of the missing a/c. The a/c each took off with experienced crews at 09:10 hrs and were later spotted flying at about 700 ft over Lake Muskoka, while in close formation. The a/c then appear to have collided and both a/c crashed into the lake with the loss of both crews. The crewman on #3521 were Flight Lieutenant P. Campbell and Leading Aircraftman T.C. Bates. At the time of the crash, the total number of airframe hours was 918:05 hrs.
Wreckage was not found until 2005. Plans were made to raise wreckage in 2007. Bodies recovered from wreckage in October 2012, by divers from Royal Canadian Navy's Fleet Diving Unit (Atlantic). Main wreckage recovered from lake bottom on 29 October 2014. RCAF serial was still clear, also marked "46" below serial on fuselage (part of company number and/or US civil registration it carried when delivered to Canada).

1940-08-13 Taken on Strength at Uplands, Ontario 2022-01-29
1940-December-13 Accident: 1 Service Flying Training School Loc: Lake Muskoka Names: Bates | Campbell
1940-12-13 Accident Category A 2022-01-29
1941-03-04 Struck off Strength written off 2022-01-29

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Nomad (Northrop) 3512

Nomad (Northrop) 3512

Delivered marked as NX-N44. First assigned to No. 1 Service Flying Training School, Air Traffic Services, Camp Borden, Ontario. Category "A" accident on 13 Dec 1940 at Camp Borden, Ontario. Nomad #3503 had gone missing on a solo formation flight with two other a/c on 12 Dec 1940. Nomad a/c #'s 3512 and 3521 were assigned on 13 Dec 1940 in good flying conditions to execute a search along the projected flight path of the missing a/c. The a/c each took off with experienced crews at 09:10 hrs and were later spotted flying at about 700 ft over Lake Muskoka, while in close formation. The a/c then appear to have collided and both a/c crashed into the lake with the loss of both crews. The crewman on #3512 were Flight Sergeant L. Francis and Leading Aircraftman W.P. Gosling. At the time of the crash, the total number of airframe hours was 207:25 hrs.

1940-08-26 Taken on Strength at Camp Borden, Ontario 2022-01-29
1940-December-13 Accident: 1 Service Flying Training School Loc: Lake Muskoka Names: Francis | Gosling
1940-12-13 Accident Category A 2022-01-29
1941-02-26 Struck off Strength written off 2022-01-29