Whitley K9024 near Dishforth airfield.
At 21.45hrs on 25th March 1940 this 51 Squadron aircraft hit the ground in the undershoot area while attempting to land at Dishforth following a non-operational flight,
the aircraft then bounced heavily and the undercarriage collapsed when it touched down again in the overshoot area. No injuries resulted. The aircraft was later
repaired and flew again.
Pilot - Sgt Dennis Carrington Hide RAFVR (740136).
Crew - Names unknown.
Dennis Hyde was Mentioned in Despatches on 11th July 1940. As Warrant Officer he was sadly killed later in War in Canada on 17th May 1942 when Harvard AJ649 struck
powerlines near Gananoque airfield and crashed. He was twenty five years old and is commemorated on the Ottawa Cremation Memorial in Ottawa Beechwood Cemetery, Canada.
Whitley K9024 was built to contract 522438/36 by Armstrong Whitworth Ltd at Baginton and allotted to 10 Squadron on 13th March 1939 and delivered to 10 Squadron
based at Dishforth on 31st May 1939. It then transferred to 51 Squadron also based at Dishforth on 10th November 1939 when the unit began converting
to Whitley MkIV's from Mk.III's. Following the incident detailed above in March 1940 Cat.R(b)/FA damage was recorded and after inspection the aircraft was dismantled by 4 MU based at
Ruislip and transported by them to Airwork Ltd at Gatwick for repair on 17th April 1940. On completion of repair it was issued to 19 OTU at Kinloss on 12th September 1940.
On 18th October 1940 it suffered Cat.M/FA when the undercarriage again collapsed on landing at Kinloss. It was repaired on site and returned to the unit. On 9th
February 1941 it again suffered Cat.M/FA damage when the pilot made a belly landed in error at Kinloss. Again it was repaired on site and returned to the unit. On
26th April 1941 it again suffered Cat.M/FA damage in another belly landing in error at Kinloss and was again repaired on site and returned to the unit. On 21st September 1941
it again sustained Cat.M/FA damage when the undercarriage
collapsed whilst taxying at Kinloss and again it was repaired on site and returned to the unit on 22nd November 1941 (by now
there cannot have been much of the original underside of the aircraft left!). It then suffered unspecified Cat.A(c)/FA damage on
8th October 1942 and was again repaired on site and returned to 19 OTU on 10th November 1942. It then transferred to 44 MU at Edzell (ASU) for long term storage on 21st January
1943 and was later struck off charge and broke up to be returned to produce on 30th July 1943 with 616 hours total flying time.