McLean, William (Leading Aircraftman)
Killed in Flying Accident 1942-08-07
Birth Date: 1910
Born:
William James McLean and Martha McLean of Gillingham, Kent, England
Home:
Enlistment:
Enlistment Date: Unknown
Service
RAFVR
Unit
31 GRS- General Reconnaissance School
Base
Charlottetown, P.E.I
Rank
Leading Aircraftman
Position
Leading Aircraftman
Service Numbers
1360364
www.findagrave.com
Library and Archives Canada Service Files (may not exist)Anson R3404
Anson Mk. I R3404
Operational 1942-June-07 to 1942-August-07
() GRS (RAF) Charlottetown P.E.I
Anson aircraft R 3404 failed to gain sufficient altitude at take-off and struck some trees one half mile off the end of the runway at Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island. Leading Aircraftman W. McLean (RAF), Sgt. P. Parker (RAF) and Pilot Officer DG Cowie were killed. Pilot Officer (later F/L) J.A.Powell survived the crash.
Avro Anson
Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum
The Museum's Anson Mk. V was built by MacDonald Brothers in Winnipeg in 1944. It flew with No. 7 Photographic Wing and No. 414 Squadron in Ottawa on photo survey work until the late 1940s. In 1956, it was purchased by INCO and used for mineral surveying until 1980, when it was donated to the Museum. The exterior is painted in the yellow colour common to all BCATP trainers and is in its same wartime RCAF markings.
The Avro Anson was known by a number of nicknames including "Faithful Annie" or "Flying Greenhouse". It was the first aircraft to be flown by the Royal Canadian Air Force to have a retractable undercarriage, which was a comparative novelty in 1936. In 1940, a Canadian government owned company, Federal Aircraft Limited, was created in Montreal to manufacture the Anson for Canadian use. Nearly 3,000 Anson aircraft were produced and, in the early days of the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan (BCATP), the Anson was the standard trainer for many pilots, observers (navigators), wireless operators and bomb aimers. More than 20,000 aircrew received training on the Anson. In Canadian service, the aircraft was substantially re-designed with the substitution of North American engines and many other airframe and equipment changes.Harold Skaarup web pages
Harold A Skaarup Web Page
Avro Anson HistoryAnson R3404
Anson Mk. I R3404
To No. 3 Training Command on 11 August 1941, for use by No. 32 Air Navigation School at Charlottetown, PEI. Still with this School when it transferred to Eastern Air Command on 5 November 1941. Category A crash at Charlottetown on 7 August 1942. Ownership to No. 4 Repair Depot at Scoudouc, NB for write off on 10 August 1942.1941-06-11 Taken on Strength Canada Car & Foundry 2019-08-20
1942-August-07 Accident: RAF STN Loc: Aerodrome Names: Cowie | Mclean | Parker | Powell
1942-09-21 Struck off Strength Struck off, reduced to spares and produce 2019-08-20
Anson R3404 Mk. I - Operational - 1942-06-07 to 1942-08-07
6 Group Unavailable
Anson aircraft R 3404 failed to gain sufficient altitude at take-off and struck some trees one half mile off the end of the runway at Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island. Leading Aircraftman W. McLean (RAF), Sgt. P. Parker (RAF) and Pilot Officer DG Cowie were killed. Pilot Officer (later F/L) J.A.Powell survived the crash.