Hurricane P3758 near South Dalton.
This 73 Squadron aircraft had been flown from its base of Church Fenton to a forward operating base at Leconfield on the evening of 24th August 1940. In the early hours of 25th August 1940 the aircraft was one of a number of Allied fighters scrambled to intercept a number of incoming enemy aircraft that their crews were detailed have attacked Driffield airfield. This Hurricane suffered from being damaged by friendly anti-aircraft gunfire at 01.30hrs over the area to the south of Driffield. The aircraft's engine was damaged and cut out and the port wing caught fire. Glycol fumes began to enter the cockpit so the pilot baled out and landed safely near Woodmansey and was met by local defence volunteers who appear to have initially assumed he was an enemy pilot. The aircraft went on to crash near South Dalton. The pilot was taken back to Leconfield airfield and reported back to Church Fenton by 11.00hrs the same morning.
Pilot - Sgt Maurice Equity Leng RAFVR (741999).
Maurice Leng was born in 1913 and joined the RAFVR in September 1938 but was called up a year later. In January 1940 he was posted to 4 BGS at West Freugh as a
Staff Pilot but was later posted to 4 Ferry Unit in May 1940, this was only a brief posting as later the same month he was posted to 73 Squadron in France, 73
Squadron withdrew to Church Fenton a few weeks later when France fell. After the incident detailed above he returned to flying duties only to be shot down
again on 23rd September 1940 over Sheppey, he was injured in the incident and spent a time in Chatham Hospital. After recovering he was posted back to 73
Squadron and went with the unit to the Middle East in November 1940. He was posted to the Ferry Pool of pilots in early April 1941 and received his commission
(67035) on 26th April 1941 to P/O on probation. He then trained as an instructor but joined 235 Squadron in Palestine in October 1941. He was promoted to F/O
(war subs) on 26th April 1942, as F/O his aircraft was shot down on 30th September 1942 and he became a PoW while flying with 2 PRU. After the War he remained
in the RAF for many years. He was posted to Aircraft Control in 1954. He relinquished his Commission of F/Lt on 30th September 1962. He died in 1995 in Plymouth.
Hurricane P3758 was built to contract 962371/38 by The Hawker Aircraft Co. Ltd. at one of their Kingston/Langley/Brooklands factories. It was
awaiting collection on 25th May 1940. On 18th June 1940 it was taken on charge by 73 Squadron at Church Fenton as a replacement aircraft
on their return from France. It sustained a Cat.W/FA damage assessment on 25th August 1940 and was struck off charge.