Last piece of wreckage from plane flown by British aviator sells for £3,600

03 March 2024 , 08:00

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The fragment from the plane (Image: No credit)

A fragment of wreckage from the last plane flown by a legendary female British aviator has sold for £3,600 at auction after being discovered 83 years on.

Pioneering pilot Amy Johnson, who was the first woman to fly solo from London to Australia, lost her life in an aviation accident on January 5, 1941. Now what is believed to be the only piece from her aircraft left in existence has been purchased by a British war museum more than eight decades on.

The Kent Battle of Britain Museum paid £3,670 for the part from the parachute exit door Amy would have used to leap from her doomed plane. Dave Brocklehurst, MBE, chairman, curator and volunteer at the museum, said: "We're delighted to secure this item. It will join the Air Transport Auxiliary (ATA) display at the museum."

"Amy was one of the original ATA girls. It's important to commemorate someone who lost her life in Herne Bay, preserve a piece of history and keep it in Kent." Mystery still surrounds the legendary aviator's death at the age of just 37 during the Second World War. Though adverse weather conditions were blamed, it was later claimed her plane had been downed by friendly fire.

The fact that no other wreckage is known to exist suggests the plane may have been burnt to cover up an accident. Experts say her loss in such a way would not have gone down well in World War Two as Amy's adventurous spirit captivated the world and inspired film-makers.

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Last piece of wreckage from plane flown by British aviator sells for £3,600

(No credit)

She had been piloting an Airspeed Oxford for the WW2 Air Transport Auxiliary from Prestwick to RAF Kidlington, near Oxford, when tragedy struck. Reportedly out of fuel, she bailed out as her aircraft crashed into the Thames Estuary near Herne Bay. Her body was never found but the story of her remarkable life has re-emerged thanks to the discovery of the plane fragment.

It was sold by Hansons Auctioneers in Etwall, Derbys. Matt Crowson, head of militaria at Hansons, said: "We're delighted this amazing find will be preserved for posterity in Kent. There was huge interest in this item, and deservedly so. It was a privilege to bring it to auction and remind the world of Amy, a ground-breaking female pilot."

In the pre-war years, Amy worked as a commercial pilot, a journalist, and a even fashion model, creating her own travelling bag. Early in WW2 she joined the Air Transport Auxiliary, which transported RAF aircraft round the country. Amy also set several long-distance records during the 1930s. Katharine Hepburn's character in the 1933 film Christopher Strong was also inspired by her.

Mr Crowson said: "The item was inherited by our vendor from his uncle, Ronald Arthur Clark, both from Enfield, North London. Ronald said he'd scooped it out of the water and put in his pocket during efforts to rescue Amy. Back in 1941 Ronald was an Able Seaman on HMS Berkeley, an escort vessel in the English Channel.

"It was among ships which attempted to rescue Amy after her parachute was spotted coming down. She was seen alive in the water, calling for help. However, conditions were poor. There was a heavy sea and a strong tide, snow was falling and it was intensely cold. Ropes were thrown to Amy but she couldn't reach them."

"Her flying bag, log book and cheque book later washed up nearby. The discovery of the plane fragment is significant. No other pieces of the aircraft are thought to exist. Some sources say the plane may have been recovered and quickly burnt, perhaps suggesting a cover-up of a friendly-fire incident."

"Amy broke the mould for women and raised expectations about what they could achieve in life. We can never be absolutely certain what happened to her that fateful day in 1941, other than it was a terrible accident. In 1999, it was reported her death may have been caused by friendly fire."

"Sussex man Tom Mitchell claimed to have shot her aircraft down when she twice failed to give the correct identification code during the flight. He said, '16 rounds of shells were fired and the plane dived into the Thames Estuary. We all thought it was an enemy plane until the next day when we read the papers and discovered it was Amy. The officers told us never to tell anyone what happened'.

"Sadly, it was also later claimed Amy had been sucked into the blades of a ship's propellers during the rescue bid. A tragic end for a live lived to the full. This discovery reminded us of Amy's indomitable spirit of adventure."