Whitley P4985 at Dishforth airfield.
On 28th October 1940 this 51 Squadron aircraft landed at Dishforth airfield in bad weather and the undercarriage collapsed following a heavy landing. The AM Form 1180 states it was landing following an operational flight. The unit records do not mention any damage but it was indeed used operationally and had landed at 02.03hrs.
Pilot - Sgt D L Boyer RAFVR (748444).
Sgt Nicholls
Sgt Keith
Sgt Bartley
P/O Robert Clifford Alabaster RAF (81065).
Whitley P4985 was built to contract 75147/38 by Armstrong Whitworth Ltd, at Baginton and was awaiting collection on 9th May 1940. It was taken on charge by
51 Squadron at Dishforth later the same month when the unit converted from Whitley MkIV's to MkV's. It sustained Cat.M/FA damage as a result of this accident
recorded above and was repaired on site. On completion of repair it transferred to 77 Squadron at Topcliffe and was coded "KN-A". On an unknown date in
1941 it transferred to 19 OTU at Kinloss where it served until being struck off charge as a time expired airframe on 12th January 1944.