Wellington R1490 at Holme on Spalding Moor airfield.
On 5th December 1941 this 458 Squadron aircraft sustained damage to its starboard wing aileron and flaps when it overshot on landing
at Holme on Spalding Moor and then ran into a ditch on the airfield boundary. No injuries were reported. The brakes had failed.
Pilot - Sgt J J Lynch RAAF (402516).
Crew - Names unknown.
Sgt Lynch was posted to 458 Squadron from 20 O.T.U. on 12th November 1941 and served in North Africa with them. He later served with 460 Squadron in 1945 and may have remained in RAAF at least until 1955.
Wellington R1490 was built to contract 992424/39 by Vickers Armstrong's Ltd. at Chester (Hawarden) and was awaiting collection in February 1941. It was allotted to 48 MU on 2nd February 1941 and was received by them at Hawarden on 1st April 1941. It was taken on charge by 458 Squadron on 30th August 1941 when then began equipping with Wellington MkIV's at Holme on Spalding Moor. As a result of this mishap on 5th December 1941 the very minor damage catagory of Cat.A/FA would have resulted but it is not recorded on the aircraft's AM Form 78. The aircraft would have been repaired on site. 458 Squadron ceased operating in Bomber Command in January 1942 and prepared to move to the Middle East so on completion of the repair it was transferred to 301 Squadron at Hemswell on 17th February 1942. It was damaged in June 1942 that saw it repaired on site and returned to 301 Squadron on 1st August 1942. It then moved to 142 Squadron at Grimsby on 16th September 1942 and passed on to 18 O.T.U. at Bramcote on 25th September 1942. It was slightly damaged during it's short spell with 18 O.T.U. but the date on the AM78 is not readable. The repair was complete by 14th November 1942 and it was returned to 18 O.T.U. on this date.
The aircraft was transferred back to 301 Squadron at Hemswell on 20th November 1942. On 7th April 1943 301 Squadron disbanded so R1490 was transferred to 305 Squadron, also at Hemswell, on 3rd April 1943. On 1st May 1943 it received Cat.B damage so was transported to 23 M.U. for repair. Once repaired it was transferred to 104 O.T.U. (Transport) at Nutts Corner on 8th November 1943. It later had a short spell with 14 (P)A.F.U. at Banff beginning 28th March 1944 before being converted to a ground instructional airframe 4745M in May 1944. It was struck off charge on 23rd September 1944.