Wellington W5484 at Pocklington airfield.
On 15th December 1941 this 405 Squadron aircraft was landing at Pocklington airfield in poor visibility and into the sun when the aircraft stalled just before touching down. A heavy landing resulted, this caused an undercarriage leg to collapse when it swung off the runway.
Pilot - Sgt Robert Graham RCAF (R/61659).
Crew - Names unknown.
Wellington W5484 was built to contract B.71441/40 by Vickers Armstrong's Ltd. at Weybridge and was awaiting collection in March 1941. It was received by 23 MU on 8th April 1941 and was taken on charge by 405 Squadron at Driffield on 28th May 1941 a month after they formed. 405 Squadron moved to Pocklington on 20th June 1941. It's AM Form 78 lists that minor Cat.Ac damage was sustained on 6th July 1941 though how this occurred is not yet known. It would have been repaired on site and returned to 405 Squadron. As a result of a ground accident at Pocklington on 12th October 1941 minor Cat.M/GA damage would have been as bad as the damage assessment was recorded but it does not feature on the aircraft's AM Form 78 exactly. On 15th December 1941 the undercarriage collapsed on landing at Pocklington following a heavy landing. On 21st December 1941 it's AM Form 78 states it received a repair on site. It was returned to 405 Squadron on 31st January 1942. The aircraft was later transferred to 12 Squadron at Binbrook on 8th July 1942 but on 26th July 1942 it sustained minor Cat.Ac/FB battle damage. It was repaired on site and returned to 12 Squadron on 8th August 1942. Exactly what happened to it then isn't known. In August 1942 12 Squadron converted to a different variant of Wellington which could have meant the aircraft was placed in long term MU storage. It's AM Form 78 does not state that this happened. It does give that it sustained Cat.B/FA damage at some point which was then cancelled and a further assessment on 23rd June 1943 saw the aircraft written off with Re-Cat.E damage.