Gladiator K6138 damaged in the air, landed at Church Fenton airfield.
At around 08.45hrs on 29th June 1938 this 72 Squadron aircraft was one of four of 'C-Flight' that took off from Church Fenton airfield to undertake a training exercise that appears to have been to include formation flying, aerobatics and also a gun camera flying exercise. Around ten minutes later the aircraft were flying in formation in the area just south of Selby and were flying at between 1,500 and 2,000 feet when two of the Gloster Gladiators collided with their wing tips. Gladiator K6139 was was one of the aircraft and the collision caused the pilot to loose control, this aircraft crashed onto the side of what was then the main East Coast main railway line south of Brayton, Selby and killed the pilot. The second Gladiator was K6138, the pilot managed remain in control and successfully landed back at Church Fenton airfield.
Pilot - P/O Robert James Walker RAF (39915).
Robert Walker served with 72 Squadron during the first part of the Battle of Britain before being posted to 7 O.T.U. to instruct. He was awarded the DSO in 1945 and retired as G/Cpt in 1965.