Tiger Moth BB806 at Yeadon airfield.
On 9th September 1941 the pilot of this 20 E.F.T.S. aircraft was coming in to land at Yeadon when he stalled the aircraft and landed on one wheel. The undercarriage was
slightly damaged.
Pilot - LAC F L Symes RAF (656848).
This aircraft was built by the De Havilland Aircraft Co. Ltd. at Hatfield and was first registered on the UK civilian register as G-ADWP to Scottish Aviation Ltd. at Prestwick on 9th December 1935. From 17th February 1936 it was operated by S.A.Ltd.,at Prestwick under the guise of 12 E&RFTS and on 3rd September 1939 this unit was re-designated as 12 EFTS where it remained. On 12th October 1940 the aircraft was impressed into the RAF and re-serialled as BB806 and the civil registration cancelled. On 4th April 1941 the aircraft transferred to 20 EFTS at Yeadon where, on 9th September 1941, the minor damage detailed above was sustained, Cat.A/FA damage was the damage assessment and it was repaired on site and then returned to the unit. On 13th February 1942 it transferred to 4 EFTS based at Brough, Yorkshire. On 8th December 1943 it was flown to Taylorcraft Ltd. at Rearsby for a major inspection and on 26th January 1944 it was flown to 20 MU at Aston Down for to be placed into long term storage and in this case it proved to be for over six years. On 12th May 1950 the aircraft moved to 47 MU at Sealand (a packing depot) for crating up to be moved overseas. On 18th July 1950 it was moved by road to Birkenhead Docks and on 26th July 1950 it embarked on S.S.Merchant bound for Cape Town, South Africa where it arrived on 24th August 1950. It was transported in it's crate to 394 MU at Heany, Southern Rhodesia, arriving on 14th September 1950 and during the first week of December 1950 it was erected and tested before being flown to 5 FTS RATG (Rhodesian Air Training Group) at Thornhill, Southern Rhodesia on 13th December 1950. On 21st February 1952 it was flown to 394 MU at Heany for storage and disposal and in July 1952 it was sold to the Heany Motor Engineering Works and then registered on the civilain register as VP-YJM to Enkeldoorn Flying Club and after this date nothing more is known of the aircraft.