Defiant N1742 at Church Fenton airfield.
On 19th May 1941 the undercarriage of this aircraft collapsed on landing at Church Fenton airfield at 05.10hrs.
Pilot - Sgt Alan Edgar Turner RAFVR (1251066).
Alan Turner received his commission to the rank of P/O on probation (emergency) on 6th May 1942 (123831) and was promoted to F/O on probation (war subs)
on 6th November 1942 and F/Lt (war subs) on 6th May 1944. Post-War he was appointed to a commission as F/O in the RAFVR on 21st October 1947 and relinquished
his commission of F/O on 21st October 1952
Defiant N1742 was built to contract 751807/38 by Boulton & Paul Ltd. at Wolverhampton and was awaiting collection in September 1940 and was initially
placed into MU storage for two monthes. It was eventually taken on charge by the newly formed 54 OTU at Church Fenton on or around 25th November 1940 when
the unit formed. On 19th May 1941 Cat.A/FA damage was recorded following the landing accident detailed above and it was repaired on site but before repair
could be completed unit ceased operating the Defiant type on 16th June 1941 so the aircraft was flown into MU storage after the repair was finished. The
aircraft next appears on charge with 3 AGS at Castle Kennedy on 20th April 1942 when the unit formed and the following month it moved to 10 AGS at Barrow.
By 28th April 1943 the aircraft had been placed in MU storage once again and was converted to Target Towing status. The aircraft lastly appears on RNAS charge
with RNAS Gosport and is last recorded as being struck off charge on 29th October 1945.