Whitley T4200 at Topcliffe airfield.
On 17th November 1940 this 77 Squadron aircraft may have been damaged at Topcliffe airfield but it had already been slightly damaged at Topcliffe on 29th October 1940. The date of 17th November 1940 could simply relate to a re-assessment when repairs were underway and it was re-assessed as more seriously damaged and was taken away for repair.
There is no AM Form 1180 that could relate to T4200 damaged in November 1940 that would equate to Cat.Ac damage or greater. Checking with the 77 Squadron ORB Whitley T4200 was not used operationally by them in November 1940.
Whitley T4200 was built to contract 38599/39 by Armstrong Whitworth Ltd, at Baginton and was awaiting collection on 30th August 1940. It was taken on charge by 77 Squadron at
Linton on Ouse in early September 1940 and moved to Topcliffe with this unit on 5th October 1940. On 29th October 1940 Cat.M/FB damage was recorded following this landing at Topcliffe.
It is believed to have been repaired on site but it is further recorded as being Cat/R on 17th November 1940 but this may relate to the assessment of Cat.R status and a factory repair
being needed. If not, it was repaired on site and further damaged with Cat.R on 17th November 1940 in an unrelated incident. Whatever the case it was sent away for repair in work
in November 1940 and on completion of repair it was taken on charge by 10 OTU at Abingdon on an as yet unspecified date in 1941. On 24th October 1942 it was taken on charge by 42 OTU
at Ashbourne when the unit started operating Whitley's. Here it remained until the unit disbanded on 20th March 1945 and it was flown to MU storage for disposal on an unknown date and
struck off charge on 31st May 1945.