Spitfire P7983 at Marston Moor airfield.

During the afternoon of 25th October 1941 this 145 Squadron aircraft was flown on a sector reconnaissance flight and took off from Catterick airfield at 14.25hrs. While flying in the area to the west of York the fuel in the selected tank ran out which caused the engine to stop. The pilot attempted a landing on a partly completed Marston Moor airfield but there were construction materials across the airfield. On the approach he made a skidding turn to try and avoid obstactles but his landing was heavy and the undercarriage was damaged. The incident is mentioned in passing within Marston Moor airfield station record book as making a landing on the least obstructed runway at Marston Moor but it still receiving minor Cat.Ac damage. The runway part of Marston Moor airfield was still being constructed at this date.

Pilot - Sgt Douglas Loftus Jones RNZAF (NZ.404875).