Mustang near Thixendale

On the 13th of January 1945 a Mustang from the Air Gunnery School at Catfoss was on a training flight. It was making passes at a Wellington when the engine of the Mustang cut out. Due to the terrain below, the Yorkshire Wolds, the pilot had no option but a bail out. At only 250 feet he struck the tail-plane and sustained a broken femur. There was minor damage to a nearby Fotherdale Farm where the aircraft crashed near Thixendale, East Yorks. The pilot landed only afew feet away from his wrecked aircraft but survived.

Pilot - 1st Lt Raymond J Kensik USAAF, injured but survived.