My trip to my local Corbett Ben Rinnes (The Headland Hill) last week in very bad weather with a good friend John Ritchie who is a very active aircraft historian visited the site of the Wellington Crash near the summit. The summit has the great name Scurran Of Lochterlandloch and the name Scurran (is applied to the other two tors on this magic wee hill. Many thanks for reminding me of this Donald Watt and Hamish Brown! Hamish Brown’s Mountain Walk and Climbing the Corbetts is a great book for information on the hills in Scotland. (My blog on the 12 May has a bit more information on the aircraft and mountain)
Ben Rinnes was the scene of a terrible plane crash on 14th November 1943.
A Wellington Bomber HF746 of No20 Operational Training Unit, based at Lossiemouth, crashed into Ben Rinnes whilst on a navigational exercise. Both crew were killed.
John works for a well known aircraft company has access to a Wellington frame and from this he has shown where these parts of the aircraft we found are in the structure.
Spar sections and geodetics with steel plates and bomb bay floor area.
From John “Bits we found probably originate within the red rectangles on these pictures. The nacelle (3rd picture, removed from the wing) – we probably saw skin sections from one of these as well.”
Rinnes Wellington Fuel system photo J. Ritchie.
Fuel and oil tanks live on top of the nacelle.
Ben Rinnes Wreckage Wellington photo J. Ritchie.
More photos from the crash site.
Section of Main Spar and nacelle structure
Ben Rinnes Wreckage – guide J, Ritchie.
Hi Heavy, Rab here. My daughter and I went up Ben Dinner on Saturday and a cracker of a day it was. Fantastic views. I am aware of the crash of Wellington HF746 and the tragic loss of life. However I am confused about the actual numbers involved as different sources has it recorded that all 5 crew perished in the crash to 3 bailed out (Survived?) whilst 2 died on impact with the mountain. Just wanted to know the facts – also the story that of the guys that bailed out – one may have married a local farmer’s daughter! Appreciated if you have any gen. Best wishes, Rab in Lossie.
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