Bristol F2B Crash

saruffin · 21 February 2006, 08:41 AM

Was wondering if anyone would happen to know the location and any other details regarding the crash of Bristol F2B #D 8021.

It crashed on 1 June 1918, I believe while being ferried somewhere in UK. The pilot, USAS 1st Lt. John Arnold Roth, was injured.

Roth was a member of the First Oxford Detachment, who trained with the RAF, and he later served briefly with 60 Squadron, RAF. Thanks!

saruffin · 22 July 2006, 07:28 AM

Well, as an addendum to the above question, I just learned that in later years Roth told his daughter that he had "crashed at Stonehenge".

I realize there was a huge amount of flying activity in this area during the war, but assuming he did crash somewhere in the vicinity of Stonehenge, can anyone suggest where I might go to to learn specifics about this crash? Newspapers? Official records?

Simba · 24 July 2006, 04:56 PM

RAF Stonehenge was never much more than a collection of huts originally erected by the British and Colonial Aeroplane Company (later 'Bristol') at Larkhill in 1910.

I'm presently researching the first-ever 'aerial tour' undertaken in Britain (and probably, the world), which lifted off from the field fronting those huts and ended two days later at Poullet House, Hinton St. George, Somerset. I'll post a summary of the tale to the 'Pioneer Aviation' forum when I've finished. Meanwhile, best place to research UK airfields histories is the Public Records Office at Kew, London, the RAF Museum Library at Hendon, and the Fleet Air Arm Museum, Yeovilton.

Good luck and good hunting!