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RAF Chivenor,Nr Barnstaple,SW England, was in the early
1970s, home to No.229 OCU (Operational Conversion Unit)
with Hawker Hunter MK6 Jet fighters boasting a top speed
of 715-mph.
Exercises from Chivenor were often carried out at low
level around the coast, and over the hills of Exmoor,
Dartmoor, Bodmin and Wales, to assess the pilots in the
conversion of this type of aircraft,from perhaps Meteors
or Vampires.
On the afternoon of Friday 19th March 1971, two Hunters
left the base on a routine cross country training flight,
weather was fair, but visibility over the hills of Exmoor
was poor, with a cloud base of around 1,000ft asl.
At around 1.30pm, Mrs Florance Westcott of Hill Farm,was
in her kitchen cooking lunch, when she heard a terrific
explosion and witnessed falling debris through the window.
Mr Sid Westcott had been out on the farm and was walking
up towards the house when a large chunk of aircraft fell
in the yard.
Apparently the two aircraft had become disorientated in
cloud, and were making a descent to establish their position
when one of them, flown by a 24 year old pilot from
Singapore, hit the field adjutant to the house and blew
up killing the pilot instantly, the other Hunter managed
to miss the hill, but almost struck telegraph wires that
run across the fields.
It was very unfortunate for the pilot to let down where
he did, but fortunate for Mr & Mrs Westcott, that it was
not a moment or two later, or perhaps all 3 would have
been killed.
Soon after the crash, Police, Fire crews and a team from
RAF Chivenor arrived to survey the wreckage, and remove
the body of the young airman. Wreckage from the Hunter
was cleared over the next 10 days and nothing remains at
the crash site today, but a few small fragments in the
field.
Pilot: 2/Lt Siow Yang. Republic of Singapore Air Force.
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Hunter XG131 - SW Moors
