Hornbrook, Peter Francis (Sergeant)

Killed in Flying Accident 1943-October-16

Male Head

Birth Date: 1911

Born:

Parents: Son of Francis P Hornbrook and Gladys Hornbrook

Spouse: Husband of Avis Sutphin Hornbrook, of Virden, Illinois, USA

Home: Virdin, Illinois, USA

Enlistment:

Enlistment Date: unkown date

Service

RAFVR

Unit

32 (OT) OTU- Operational Training Unit (RAF)

Base

Patricia Bay, British Columbia, Canada

Rank

Sergeant

Position

Navigator

Service Numbers

1586682

Home

Virdin, Illinois, USA

Memorial Location

Ottawa War Memorial
Panel 2 Column 2

32 Operational Training Unit, RCAF, Patricia Bay, BC. Hampden I aircraft AN 132, while on a night navigation exercise, struck a hill and crashed near Maggie Lake and Ucluelet BC with the loss of the entire crew. The cause of loss was never determined

Sergeant PF Hornbrook (RAFVR)(USA), Sergeant RF Allcorn (RAFVR), Pilot Officer RRG Porter (RAAF) and Sergeant MCB Smith (RAAF) were all missing, presumed killed in this flying accident

The wreckage of this aircraft and crew remains were not located in the rugged mountainous, wooded area of the crash until July 6, 1945 and due to the difficulty of the terrain, were left on site. The aircrew remains could not be properly identified and they are all commemorated on the Ottawa Memorial

Recovered after the war, parts of AN 132 were used to restore Hampden P 5436, which is displayed at the Canadian Museum of Flight

unvetted Source Handley Page Hampden I The Canadian Museum of Flight

Commonwealth War Graves Commission

www.findagrave.com

Library and Archives Canada Service Files (may not exist)

Crew or Other Personnel

Hampden AN132

Sergeant Ronald Frank Allcorn RAFVR

Sergeant Allcorn, Ronald Frank (RAFVR)
Pilot
Killed in Flying Accident
1943-October-16
Ottawa War Memorial, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

Sergeant Peter Francis Hornbrook RAFVR

Sergeant Hornbrook, Peter Francis (RAFVR)
Navigator
Killed in Flying Accident
1943-October-16
Ottawa War Memorial, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

Pilot Officer Raymond Robert George Porter RAAF

Pilot Officer Porter, Raymond Robert George (RAAF)
Wireless Operator/Air Gunner
Killed in Flying Accident
1943-October-16
Ottawa War Memorial, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

Sergeant Mervyn Charles Bruce Smith RAAF

Sergeant Smith, Mervyn Charles Bruce (RAAF)
Wireless Operator/Air Gunner
Killed in Flying Accident
1943-October-16
Ottawa War Memorial, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

Hampden serial: AN132

(RCAF Photo via Chris Charland)(Source Harold A Skaarup Web Page)
Handley Page Hampden (Serial No. P5428), of No. 32 Operational Training Unit at RCAF Patricia Bay, British Columbia, in the torpedo-bomber training role between May 1942 and February 1944.

Handley Page developed a modern stressed-skin mid-wing monoplane, powered by Bristol Pegasus radial air cooled engines, with its first flight in 1936. It had the most advanced wings available at the time, giving it a remarkably low landing speed of 73 mph for an aircraft of its size, with a top speed of 265 mph. The Hampden had a short, narrow but tall main fuselage with a very slender tail unit. This configuration led to the nicknames "Flying Panhandle" and "Flying Suitcase". At the end of the war, no complete or partial Hampden aircraft were retained for museum display.

The Hampden served in the early stages of the war, bearing the brunt of the early bombing war over Europe, taking part in the first night raid on Berlin and in the first 1000-bomber raid on Cologne. In Canada, Hampdens were built by six companies that formed Associated Aircraft. There were three in Ontario and three in Quebec, hence they were identified as the Ontario Group and Quebec Group. They supplied all the the components to the two assembly plants. The Ontario Group's assembly plant was at the Malton Airport, while the Quebec group's assembly plant was at the St. Hubert Airport. Canadian Museum of Flight and Harold A Skaarup web page

YouTube Handley Page Hampden in Flight

Wikipedia Hampden Bomber

unvetted Source Harold A Skaarup Web Page

Hampden - Kestrel Publications

Aircraft Images

Hampden AN132

Hampden Mk. I AN132

With No. 32 OTU at RCAF Station Patricia Bay, BC. Cat "B" accident when a/c ran off end of runway on attempted takeoff at Patricia Bay on 8 December 1942, collapsing landing gear. Later hit a hill and crashed near Maggie Lake close to Ucluelet, BC on a night navigation exercise on 16 October 1943. All 4 crew killed; Flight Sergeant R. Allcorn, Flight Sergeant P. Hornbrook, Flight Sergeant R. Porter and Flight Sergeant (RAAF) M. Smith. The wreckage was not located until 6 July 1945, and was then left on site. Wreckage
recovered post war, and pieces used to restore #P5436, now on display at Canadian Museum of Flight, Langley, BC.

1942-01-06 Taken on Strength 2019-08-20
1942-December-08 Accident: 32 Operational Training Unit Loc: Patricia Bay Names: Cordingley | Johnson | Reid | Vevers
1943-October-16 Accident: 32 Operational Training Unit Loc: Names: Allcorn | Hornbrook | Porter | Smith
1943-11-25 Struck off Strength 2019-08-20

Unit Desciption

32 (OT) OTU (32 Operational Training Unit)

The Operational Training Unit (OTU) was the last stop for aircrew trainees. They spent 8 to 14 weeks learning to fly operational aircraft (Hawker Hurricane or Fairey Swordfish, e.g.). The instructors had experience in actual operations, and often were posted to OTUs after their operational tour.