Whitley N1471 at Topcliffe airfield.
At 12.00hrs on 20th May 1941 this 102 Squadron aircraft was being taxied at Topcliffe airfield either prior to or following some form of test flight when the tail wheel assembly collapsed. The aircraft had been taxied over a patch of rough and hard ground that had previously been boggy and now had the hard wheel ruts formed by previously taxied aircraft in it. The general state of the grass airfield was very poor and the upgrading of the airfield's flying surface was an urgent requirement before the next Winter arrived.
Pilot - Sgt Oscar William Rees RAFVR (748209).