Miles Master Recovery Collection, 27 A/S, Dewetsdorp, Orange Free State, South Africa, 1942-1943

Miles Master Recovery

27 A/S, Dewetsdorp, Orange Free State, South Africa, 1942-1943

Recovery of a crashed 104 Miles Master 2 Advanced Trainer from 27 A/S while on a cross country flight which "Ground Looped" during an emergency landing after running out of petrol. This took place at a small town called Dewetsdorp some 80KM from 27 Air School at Bloemspruit near Bloemfontein in the Orange Free State of South Africa during 1942-43.

The salvage crew was led by Sergeant "Jock" Brown and was made up of members of the flight servicing crews at 27 A/S. A Queen Mary low loader was not available nor was a crane which made the task more difficult, sheer legs being used to lift, turn and load the 'plane. As far as I know the pilot did not die but would have needed to "duck" a lot from the amount of cockpit damage.

Work Begins On The Trailer