Lancaster DS626 at East Moor airfield.

On 24th September 1943 this aircraft crashed at the end of runway 3 at East Moor airfield. No further details are known other than it suffered Cat.A/FA damage and was soon repaired.

Pilot - Sgt P C Burgess, uninjured.

Crew - Names unknown, uninjured.


Sgt Burgess and crew completed their conversion course and returned to 432 Squadron on 7th October 1943 however they appear to have been transferred elsewhere soon after as he does not appear to have flown any Lancaster Ops with 432 Squadron.
Lancaster DS626 was built to contract ACFT/239 by Armstrong Whitworth at Baginton and delivered to MU store in October 1942. It was issued to 115 Squadron at East Wretham as "KO-J" in March 1943. It transferred to 426 Squadron in June 1943 at Linton on Ouse when the unit began to re-equip with Lancaster MkII's. Because of the shortage of converted crews for 426 Squadron the aircraft was used by 1679 HCU at East Moor from June 1943 though official records do not show it as being 'on charge' with them at all. It sustained Cat.A/FA damage at East Moor in the incident detailed above and was repaired on site. On completion of repairs it was transferred to 408 Squadron at Linton on Ouse in October 1943. It's operational career was over by mid-1944 and it was transferred to 1668 HCU at Balderton. It moved with the unit to Bottesford on 28th July 1944 and is next recorded as being struck off charge on 20th March 1945.