Halifax L9607 at Linton on Ouse airfield.
At 15.15hrs on 30th October 1941 this 35 Squadron aircraft was taking off from Linton on ouse in formation with but slightly behind another Halifax. L9607 picked up speed faster than the lead aircraft and as the lead aircraft began to drift slightly it forced L9607 towards the airfield boundary and towards a wooded area. The pilot of L9607 reduced power on the engines but could not maintain airspeed. It bounced but with the undercarriage unlocked the undercarriage then collapsed and it slid to a halt. Minor damage resulted.
Pilot - S/Ldr Geoffrey Leonard Cheshire DSO DFC RAF (72021).
Crew - Names unknown.
Halifax L9607 was built to contract 692649/37 by Handley Page Ltd. at Radlett. It was allotted to 24 MU at Ternhill on 2nd September 1941 and was received by them on 2nd October 1941. The aircraft was taken on charge by 35 Squadron at Linton on Ouse on 15th October 1941 when it was flown from Ternhill to Linton on Ouse by Leonard Cheshire. On 30th October 1941 it sustained Cat.Ac damage following a take-off mishap at Linton on Ouse. The repair took some months and it was not returned to 35 Squadron until 15th April 1942. It was transferred to 35 Conversion Flight on 22nd April 1942. On 7th May 1942 it sustained Cat.Ac/FA damage when it was damaged by fragments of another Halifax at Linton on Ouse that had crashed. The aircraft was repaired on site at Linton on Ouse and was returned to 35 Conversion Flight on 4th July 1942. On paper the aircraft was transferred to 1652 Conversion Unit at Marston Moor on 31st December 1942 though may have been on their books earlier than that date. On 1st July 1943 it was transferred to No.10 School of Technical Training where it was converted into an instructional airframe though no "M" serial number is known for it as yet.