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539
52-6145 in North Africa.
Photo: Unknown photographer © c.1955 - Aird Archives
52-6145 on Bramah edge, Peak District, England.
Photo: Ashton-under-Lyme Reporter © December 1956 - via Alan Johnson

539

52-6145

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52-6145 USAF #1307 L-20 No: 308, Command AF-3. Delivered 04-Sep-1953.

Written off

USAF History

52-6145 was made available on 24-Jul-1953, accepted on 28-Aug-1953 by the 6600th Air Depot AMO (Air Material Overseas Unit), at Downsview, ON., after which it was delivered to the Air Material Command at Davis Monthan AFB., AZ., where it was placed with the 3040th Air Storage Squadron on 04-Sep-1953. It remained in store until it moved to the San Antonio Air Depot at McLellan AFB, TX., on 25-Jun-1954 and then it was recorded as moving to the San Francisco Point of Embarkation on 23-Sep-1954. It arrived with the 7485th Air Depot Wing at Erding Germany on 28-Sep-1954.

It stayed at Erding for several months before passing to French Morocco and the air base at Nouasseur where it was attached to 7280th Maintenance Group. This attachment ended on 06-May-1955 after which the aircraft moved to England to be based at Shepherds Grove with the 81st Tactical Fighter Wing.

Emblem of the 81st TFW

It suffered an accident at Bramah Edge, Derbyshire in Peak District, UK, on 05-Dec-1956, First Lieutenant John Rossman Tinklepaugh and passenger First Lieutenant Guy B Waller. Both were killed when their plane crashed on Bramah Edge above Longdendale in the Peak District. According to a UK website, the aircraft was being operated by the 81st Tactical Fighter Wing (UK-based at that time) and was flying from RAF Sculthorpe to RAF Burtonwood with a ferry pilot to collect a Republic F-84F Thunderstreak after maintenance and to fly it back to Sculthorpe. The Beaver was misidentified by a GCA controller at RAF Burtonwood and was 'guided' into the hillside.

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