On 13th December 1940 this aircraft ran into "Pill Box E" at Thornaby airfield on landing causing a fire in the starboard engine.
The fire was soon put out and the aircraft was later repaired.
Pilot - Sgt Gerald Edward Towe RAFVR (742440), of Thurmaston, Leicestershire.
Crew - Names unknown.
Gerald Towe was born on 5th August 1918 in Thurmaston, Leicestershire, he joined the RAFVR in 1938. The photograph of him shown about was found on the Thurmaston
Military Index webpage hosted by Rootsweb. Twenty two year old Sgt Towe was killed on 19th March 1941 and he was still serving with 220 Squadron when Hudson N7310 crashed on the Isle of Hoy in the Orkney's. He is buried at Lyness Royal Naval cemetery, Hoy. Alan Clark's website shows further details of this loss and it is through his generosity that Sgt Towe's gravestone photograph is shown here.
Hudson P5151 was built to contract 791587/38 by the Lockheed Corporation at Burbank, California and was shipped to the UK arriving at Liverpool in April 1940.
After assembly by the Lockheed Assembly Division (UK) at Speke and a period of MU storage it was taken on charge by 220 Squadron at Thornaby. Following the incident on 13th December 1940 Cat.R/FA damage was recorded and the aircraft was repaired on site by a team from Tollerton Aircraft Services Ltd, and
returned to unit, however 220 Squadron were still on detachment to St.Eval when the repair was completed. 220 Squadron returned to Thornaby soon after and on
16th January 1941 it was ditched off Redcar. The bodies of the then crew of four were never found. Cat.W damage was recorded on the aircraft and it was struck off charge.