Whitley K8938 at Linton on Ouse airfield.
On 6th November 1939 this 51 Squadron aircraft was used for a navigational cross country training flight. On landing at Linton on Ouse on conclusion of the flight the pilot landed on part of the airfield to try and avoid construction work elsewhere, the landing area short and because of wet grass the brakes failed to slow the aircraft in the available distance. The aircraft overshot and ran into the hedge at the end of the runway. The damage must have been minor as it is not referred to in the aircraft's movement card, the Form AM78. The crew were not injured.
Pilot - F/O Bernard Warren Hayward RAF (39521).
Crew - Names unknown.
On 24th April 1940 F/O Hayward was the second pilot aboard Whitley K9048, on Ops to Aalborg the aircraft was struck by flak and later force landed in Norway. The crew of five later
became PoW's. The London Gazette states that Bernard Hayward relinquished his RAF F/Lt Commission in November 1944 on appointment to the RCAF, presumably while he was a prisoner of war.
Whitley K8938 was built to contract 522438/36 by Armstrong Whitworth Ltd at Baginton and was allotted to 51 Squadron at Linton on Ouse on 22nd August 1938. It was delivered to them at Linton on Ouse on 31st August 1938. It probably suffered Cat.M/FA damage in the incident detailed above although there is officially no record in the published Air Britain history of the aircraft. Being only minor damage it was almost certainly repaired on site and returned to the unit. The history is complicated and confused after this point. It went to 38 MU at Llandow (ASU) 7th August 1940 where it was declared "Cat.1". on 24th August 1940 but the term "Cat.1" did not exist then. It was transported to Marshall's at Cambridge for re-assembly on 29th August 1940 but there is reference to it going to 4 MU at Ruislip on the same date but probably an error, as Marshall's were responsible for the re-assembly of repaired Whitley's. From here it was allotted to 39 MU at Colerne (ASU or Aircraft Storage Unit) on 6th October 1940 and received by them on 13th October 1940. Again there is a reference that it went to 38 MU at Llandow (ASU) on 13th October 1940 but again probably an error. It was issued to No.1 Beam Approach Training (B.A.T.) Flight at Abingdon on 12th February 1941 and then transferred to 43 Group Communication Flight also at Abingdon on 15th June 1941 but then back to 1 BAT Flight on 6th September 1941. It suffered an engine failure on take off at Abingdon and made a crash landing on 19th March 1942 and declared Cat.R/FA, it was dismantled on site and transported to Airwork Ltd at Gatwick on 2nd of April 1942 for repair, which was done and it was awaiting collection on 23rd July 1942. It was flown to 20 MU at Aston Down (ASU) on 24th July 1942 and languished there until being struck off charge as RTP on 15th September 1943. RTP means Return To Produce, or melted down to be used in new aircraft production.