ANDREW JAMES POTTER (grave 44)

The Vintage Pair had been thrilling air show crowds since 1972. The unique pairing of a Gloster Meteor and De Havilland Vampire were flown by the Royal Air Force’s Central Flying School to remind the public of the pioneering days of jet aviation.

The Mildenhall Air Fete was always very well attended and the United States Air Force had earned a reputation for putting on one of the best shows in Britain. The Vintage Pair had become regular participants and were this day performing their usual display.

As the pair were flying in line astern, the Meteor leading the Vampire, they began a barrel roll. The Vampire could not match the Meteor’s rate of roll and its tail fin struck the Meteor’s left engine nacelle. After the collision, the Vampire pitched up and both crew ejected from their doomed aircraft. The Meteor rolled rapidly to the left and the pilot, Flight Lieutenant Potter, managed to temporarily roll the wings level. 

However, the damage to the aircraft was too severe for any pilot to cope with and eight seconds after the collision, the aircraft crashed. Because the Meteor was not equipped with ejector seats, both occupants had no chance of escape and were killed instantly.

At the time of the accident, it was customary for ground crew to be flown in each of the spare seats in the Vampire and Meteor. Sergeant Ball was in the Vampire and Kevin Turner in the Meteor on the fateful day.

Flight Lieutenant Potter was married with 2 children and lived just north of Scampton at Hemswell. He joined the Royal Air Force in June 1968 and was a Qualified Flying Instructor. Corporal Kevin Turner was originally from Kirk Hallam in Derbyshire. He had joined the Royal Air Force in 1978 as an Aircraft Technician.

His mother was quoted at the time as saying: “He joined the RAF when he was seventeen; it was what he had always wanted.”