Whitley K8980 at Dishforth airfield.
On 9th December 1939 51 Squadron Whitley K8980 was being taxied off the airfield at Dishforth towards a hanger in blackout conditions. The pilot of Whitley K9042 (that was stationary) was walking around his aircraft and inspecting it by torchlight at the time. Unfortunately the pilot of K8980 mistook the torch light to be that of a member of ground crew signalling to him so turned into K9042. The pilot of K8980 was unfamiliar with Dishforth airfield; the unit only having transferred there that day. Both aircraft suffered minor damage and were later repaired.
Pilot - Sgt James Whiteford Murray RAF (740164).
Crew - Names unknown.
James Whiteford Murray was serving with 7 Squadron in September 1940 and was involved in the crash landing of Stirling N3640 near Kirkby Lonsdale in this month (actually the first Stirling to be written off by Bomber Command). This man survived the War having gained the DFM and DFC. He also served as a pilot with 35 Squadron in early 1941.
Whitley K8980 was built to contract 522438/36 by Armstrong Whitworth Ltd at Baginton and was allotted to 51 Squadron on 13th December 1938. It was delivered to 51 Squadron who were based at Linton on Ouse on 30th December 1938 and then moved with unit to Dishforth 9th December 1939. Following assessment after the incident detailed above Cat.M/FA damage was recorded. It was repaired on site and returned to unit. It later was taken to 5 MU at Kemble (ASU) for storage on 1st March 1940 and then issued to 2 BAT Flight at Linton on Ouse on 2nd February 1941. It was slightly damaged (Cat.R/FA) on 18th February 1941 when it landed down wind at Linton on Ouse and ran into a banking. It was again repaired on site by a team from 43 Group but in the mean time 2 BAT Flight had moved to Driffield. On completion of repair it returned to 2 BAT Flt on 14th April 1941 and later transferred to the Parachute Training Squadron at Ringway on 20th October 1941. Here it sustained Cat.A(c)/FA in a minor accident on 17th December 1941 when swung on landing at Ringway and undercarriage collapsed. It was again repaired on site which was commenced on 30th December 1941. Parachute Training Squadron (PTS) in the mean time had been renamed No.1 Parachute Training School, Ringway and on completion of repair it was returned to No.1 PTS. It was then taken to Marshall's at Cambridge 3rd January 1943 for unspecified work to be carried out and later returned to 1 PTS at Ringway on 13th February 1943. It was later converted to instructional airframe 4113M and transferred to 6th Airborne Division, no date is given for this but presumably prior to the D-Day landings.