Blenheim L1302 at Church Fenton airfield.
On 17th May 1941 the pilot of this 54 Operational Training Unit aircraft was trying to land at Church Fenton as part of a training flight, he overshot
the first landing and one engine cut out, on his second approach the second engine lost power and again he overshot and
crash landed. The unit ORB states that the pilot had wrongly selected the cold air system which resulted in the engines carburettors
icing up. (Something my car suffered with for a time). Thinking power was being lost it is common to try and apply more power,
this compounds the problem until the engines stop. In this case the aircraft sustained enough damage in the landing to write it
off but the pilot escaped injury.
Pilot - P/O Michael William Kinmonth RAFVR (61982).
"This officer has completed much operational flying at night, displaying great skill, courage and devotion to duty throughout. He has destroyed five enemy aircraft."
As F/Lt he was killed as pilot of Beaufighter R2252 which was struck by Domonie X7368 over Cranfield airfield on 11th November 1943. Both 51 OTU aircraft crashed near the
airfield killing all on board, F/Lt Kinmonth was twenty one years old and is buried in Cambridge City Cemetery.
Michael Kinmonth attended Trinity College Dublin prior to enlisting into the RAFVR. He receieved a commission to the rank
of P/O on probation on 6th March 1941 and then rose to F/O on 6th March 1942 and to F/Lt on 6th March 1943. While in the rank
of F/O he was awarded the DFC for service with 89 Squadron for service in North Africa flying Beaufighters, Gazetted on 27th
April 1943 the citation reads..
Blenheim L1302 was built to contract 527114/36 by The Bristol Aeroplane Company Ltd at Filton as a bomber version and was
awaiting collection in August 1938. It was initially taken on charge by 110 Squadron at Waddington and served with them until
being placed into MU storage in June 1939 when, around this period, it was converted to a MkIf. On 9th December 1939 it was taken
on charge by 235 Squadron at Martlesham Heath and in July 1940 it was in the hands of 23 Squadron at Collyweston. On 12th September
1940 it moved with the unit to Ford but in April 1941 23 Squadron ceased operating Blenheim MkIf's and the aircraft was taken on charge
by 54 OTU at Church Fenton. As a result of the damage sustained in the incident recorded above on 17th May 1941 Cat.E/FA was recorded.