Whitley N1369 at Driffield airfield.
On 12th December 1939 this 102 Squadron aircraft was slightly damaged at Driffield airfield while it was being taxied at night in total blackout conditions. The pilot lost his sense of direction while taxying to a dispersal point, what he collided with is not yet known but the undercarriage and fuselage sustained damage. The crew were not injured but only the pilot's name is currently known.
Pilot - S/Ldr John Charles MacDonald RAF (26183).
Crew - Names unknown.
John MacDonald was born in 1910, he joined the RAF as a Flight Cadet in 1929 and appointed to a Permanent Commission in December 1930 and. He was posted
to 56 Squadron as a pilot. After a series of postings and one in Aden in 1937. He was posted to be flight commander with 102 Squadron in 1939 and later
commanded 102 Squadron. In 1943 he was posted to 105 Squadron and as G/Cpt he was later flying with 105 Squadron and was the pilot of Mosquito DK298 on
2nd July 1942. The aircraft was hit by flak and he was forced to crash land in Germany and was made PoW. He escaped in 1945. Post War he remained in the
RAF until 1964, rising to the rank of Air Commodore. He was awarded the DFC, Gazetted on 9th July 1940 and The Bar to the DFC on 15th June 1942. He was
also awarded the AFC, Gazetted on 11th June 1942. For his post-War work he was awarded the CBE on 13th June 1957 and CB on 1st January 1964.
Whitley N1369 was built to contract 75147/38 by Armstrong Whitworth Ltd at Baginton and was delivered into MU storage in September 1939. It was issued to 102 Squadron at Driffield in Novmber 1939 when the unit began conversion to Mk.V Whitley's from Mk.III's. Cat.M/FA damage was recorded in the mishap detailed above and it was repaired on site and returned to the unit. It later transferred to 19 OTU based at Kinloss on an unknown date and was declared damaged, with Cat.E2/FA recorded when, on 19th October 1943 Anson DJ104 landed at Kinloss but ended up on the back
of the Whitley. A photograph of both aircraft has appeared in a number of books. The Anson was repaired but the Whitley was deemed beyond repair.