Blenheim T1924 on Selby Common.
On the night of 16th / 17th November 1941 the pilot of this 54 Operational Training Unit aircraft were undertaking a training flight when the aircraft suffered engine trouble. Unable to
reach base of Church Fenton the pilot attempted to force land the aircraft on Selby Common just after midnight on 17th November 1941. At 00.15hrs the aircraft struck the ground around a mile from Thorpe Willoughby at high speed. The aircraft broke up and was wrecked but remarkably the pilot escaped with only minor injuries.
Pilot - Sgt Alfred Edward Thomas RCAF (R/78190). Minor injuries, broken nose and suffered shock.
Air historians Albert Pritchard, Eric Barton and Ken Reast located small fragments on the surface at the crash site in April 2003 with permission from the landowner, confirming the crash location as being around a mile north of Thorpe Willoughby. Eric retained a few of the fragments he located and these were passed to me in 2022 to rehome.
Blenheim T1924 was built to 1485/39 by Rootes Securities Ltd. at Speke and was awaiting collection in July 1940, it was taken on charge shortly after
by 15 Squadron at Wyton but they ceased operating Blenheim MkIV's in November 1940 so the aircraft was placed into MU storage. On an unknown date in
1941 it was taken on charge by 54 Operational Training Unit at Church Fenton. As a result of the incident on 17th November 1941 near Selby Cat.E2/FA damage was recorded and the aircraft
was written off.
