Stories sought to identify mystery plane

An author from Bingham is appealing for stories about a twin-engine aircraft that was partially submerged in fishing ponds at Gunthorpe Bridge during the 1950s.

Mr Tim O’Brien, who has written several books on military history, wants people who remember seeing the plane or who have pictures of the plane to come forward.

It is not currently known where the aircraft came from, how it got there or what happened to it.

The aircraft could have been a twin-engine Handley Page Hampden from RAF Cottesmore, which spun into the ground near Gunthorpe on the night of June 30, 1942.

It could also have been a twin-engine Airspeed Oxford from RAF Wigsley, which crashed into a tree near Gunthorpe Hall on July 13, 1942, or a twin-engine Armstrong Whitworth Whitley, which several locals recall having crashed in the area.

Mr O’Brien said: “During the course of writing my two books, Last Post At Newton: The Life Of RAF Newton, and RAF Syerston: Praesta In Officiis, four separate people have mentioned this aircraft to me asking if I could shed any light on what it was and why it was there.

“Unfortunately, I don’t have an answer.

“David Meads, of Calverton, recalls the mystery aircraft being at a slight angle in a fishing pond close to the A6097 throughout the 1950s and possibly into the 1960s.

“However it had totally disappeared by the time the Lowdham Caravans site was extended in the 1970s when that part of the fishing pond was filled in.”

“David recalls: ‘It was an everyday sight in the undergrowth at the side of the road, which meant that local passers-by hardly commented on it, as it had become such a feature of the landscape.’

“What happened to it? Was it buried on site or taken away for scrap? Do any readers have a serial number or a photograph of it?”

Anyone who can help is asked to contact Tim O’Brien on 01949 877590 or email him at tobrienart@hotmail.com