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| Date: | Friday 11 July 1958 |
| Time: | |
| Type: | Gloster Javelin FAW4 |
| Owner/operator: | 41 Sqn RAF |
| Registration: | XA751 |
| MSN: | |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 2 |
| Other fatalities: | 0 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | RAF Wattisham, Suffolk, England -
 United Kingdom
|
| Phase: | Manoeuvring (airshow, firefighting, ag.ops.) |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | |
| Confidence Rating: |  Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources |
In February, 1958, No. 141 Sqn. moved from/ RAF Coltishall to RAF Wattisham and took the number plate of No. 41 Sqn.
Capt. Taylor was scheduled to return to the United States in July, 1958. On 11th July, he took off for his last sortie with the/ Squadron, accompanied by Flt. Lt. Brian Bedford. He planned to fly a farewell aerobatic display and, knowing this, all the Squadron's air and ground crews were on the apron to watch the show, after two high-speed low-level passes, to burn off the fuel in the ventral tanks, he pulled up into a loop - a manoeuvre banned by Air Staff Instructions - and, tragically, lost airspeed and went into a spin, which became flat.
At about 800 ft. he and his navigator used their ejector seats. The seats functioned perfectly and Flt. Lt. Bedford landed safely and was unharmed. Sadly, Earl Taylor was struck by some part of the aircraft - probably the cockpit canopy - and his neck was broken. He died/ instantly.
The loss of this immensely popular officer shocked and saddened the whole station and the Station Commander, Group Captain "Teddy" Morris, CBE, DSO, DFC, gave his permission for a memorial Service to be held in the Station Church and for the installation of the plaque, which was presented by the Squadron aircrew.
Captain Taylor's body was returned to the USA for burial. He left a wife and four children.
Sources:
https://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/109221
Plaque and typed fact sheet from Wattisham Station Heritage Museum
Gloster Javelin by Michael Napier Javelin Boys by Steve Bond
Location
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 14-Jan-2022 17:39 | trigger39 | Added |
| 09-Feb-2022 20:01 | Nepa | Updated [Operator, Other fatalities, Location, Damage, Operator] |
| 25-Jun-2024 11:18 | Anon. | Updated [Location, Source, Narrative, Category] |
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