Beaufighter T3352 at Driffield airfield.
At 14.40hrs on 16th October 1941 this No.2 (Coastal) Operational Training Unit aircraft was on an approach to land at Driffield airfield, the pilot moved the undercarriage lever to lower the wheels but had not pushed the lever fully down. Just prior to touching down a warning indicator showed that the undercarriage was not locked. The pilot attempted to overshoot and applied full power to the engines but the starboard propeller clipped the ground, the pilot then reduced power and landed with the undercarriage up. The pilot received minor injuries.
Pilot - Sgt James Arthur Drewett RAFVR (1179559). Injured.
Beaufighter T3352 was built to contract B.30264/39 by the Bristol Aeroplane Company Ltd. at Filton and was flown to 33 MU at Lyneham on 22nd June 1941. It was then taken on charge by No.2 (Coastal) Operational Training Unit at Catfoss on 26th September 1941. As a result of the incident at Driffield on 16th October 1942 it received repairable damage. I believe this was repaired on site and it was returned to the unit. The published history states a Cat.B/FA damage assessment was made in July 1942 that then saw it taken to the Bristol Aeroplane Company Ltd. at Filton for a repair in works on 29th July 1942. Once servicable it was flown to 46 MU at Lossiemouth on 16th October 1942. On 11th March 1943 it was taken on charge by 9 (C)OTU at Crosby on Eden. On 16th July 1943 it suffered an engine failure and was force landed in a field near Broadwath, Cumberland. Cat.E/FA damage was the damage assessment and it was struck off charge having clocked up 222 flying hours from new.