On 12th June 1917 this RNAS Home Defence Flight aeroplane suffered damage to it's undercarriage at RNAS Redcar aerodrome following a rough landing. The pilot appears to have been an instructor with the RNAS Flying School at the time of this incident.
Pilot - F/Lt Norman William George Blackburn RNAS.
Norman Blackburn was aeroplane manufacturer Robert Blackburn's brother. He was born on 25th May 1895 in Leeds, Yorkshire. He enlisted for RNAS service on 17th May 1915 and following training at the Grahame-White School of Flying at Hendon, London he was awarded a Royal Aero Club Aviators' Certificate on 5th June 1915 (Cert.No.1311). He later received a posting to RNAS Killingholme on 20th October 1915, then served at RNAS Redcar from 15th February 1916 to 26th March 1916, after attending a course at Eastchurch he returned to RNAS Redcar on 9th April 1916 as an instructor with the Flying School. He appears to have been uninjured on 22nd July 1916 when Curtiss JN-4 3443 crashed near Northallerton. On 28th September 1916 he was injured when Caudron G.III 3280 crashed near Redcar and this saw him hospitalised for a time. He was eventually passed as fit on 6th December 1916 and returned to duty at Redcar. On 29th May 1917 he was admitted to hospital in Middlesbrough suffering with scarlet fever. He was passed fit and returned to RNAS Redcar. He was eventually posted to Stonehedge on 21st January 1918. He married on 9th December 1917 at Roundhay Congregational Church, Leeds. He transferred to the newly formed RAF in April 1918 spending time between No.13 T.D.S. and hospitals until being transferred to the Unemployed List on 5th February 1919. He returned to Yorkshire and begun working for his brother Robert Blackburn's aeroplane company. He managed the RAF Reserve training school at Brough between 1924 and 1940. In 1940 Robert Blackburn asked him to take charge of the Swordfish production at the Sherburn-in-Elmet factory but later he returned to Brough in 1943 and was in charge of all Blackburn factories in Yorkshire from 1944. In retirement he lived in Bridlington and he died in January 1966.
Longhorn N5399 was built by Bristol at Filton and had been completed by 10th November 1916 but was awaiting an engine at Filton. It was delivered to RNAS Cranwell in February 1917 and was fitted here with an overwing Lewis Gun or previously at Filton prior to delivery. It was transferred to RNAS Redcar "War Flight" and this possibly being one of only a few aeroplanes serving with the "Home Defence Flight" being referred to as the "War Flight". After the accident on 12th June 1917 it was deemed as repairable although this was probably never completed when surveyed on 7th December 1917 as it was described as "wrecked". It was deleted on 14th December 1917.