Hampden P2113 at Finningley airfield.
On 18th November 1941 this 25 Operational Training Unit aircraft was on the approach to land at Finningley at 03.35hrs when the aircraft undershot and struck a marker beacon hut on the edge of the airfield. The pilot was able to regain control and make a safe landing on the airfield but the aircraft sustained slight damage.
Pilot - Sgt R N B Sinclair RAF (778494).
Hampden P2113 was built to contract 952962/38 by English Electric Co.Ltd. at Samlesbury and awaiting collection in May 1940. It was received by 8 MU on 29th June 1940 and was taken on charge by 16 O.T.U. at Upper Heyford on 6th August 1940. On 11th September 1940 it was taken to 4 MU at Tollerton and over the next months spent time there and at English Electric Service Aircraft Section. The aircraft was taken on charge by 25 O.T.U. at Finningley no 23th August 1941. As a result of this incident on 18th November 1941 Cat.B/FA was the assessment. It was dismantled and transported by road for repair at the LMS Carriage Works at Derby and then at Tollerton. During the process of repair it was converted to T.B.I specification. The history becomes more than a little bit vague from this point onwards, the aircraft was fitted with ASV aerials and these aerials are recorded as making this type difficult to fly, take offs were long and flying on one engine impossible. At some point the aircraft was being flown in
the vicinity of Lichfield by an RAF crew when it was forced to make a forced landing at RAF Tatenhill and sustained Cat.A damage which was repaired on site. It was possibly just before 29th August 1943 when it was sent to Tollerton for a repair in works. It was repaired and was back at 44 MU on 11th October 1943. On 20th October 1943 the aircraft was scheduled for delivery to 12 MU at Kirkbride for long term storage as
the T.B.I's had all been withdrawn from service by this time. Flight Captain John Erwin Martens ATA, of 16 FPP, was given the job of ferrying the aircraft from Tatenhill to Kirkbride and when ten miles north of Morecambe Bay at 3,000 feet the port engine failed, the aircraft lost height at a rate of 200 feet per minute and with the air speed down to 120 mph the starboard engine failed leaving the pilot no option to make a forced landing in a field at Tod Brow, 1 mile West of Newton, Cumbria at 13.40 hrs. The aircraft was badly damaged and part of the wrecked aircraft caught fire. Flight Captain Martens sustained minor injuries. The aircraft was not repaired from this serious damage and Cat.E2/FA was recorded on the paperwork.