Wellington Z1212 at Holme on Spalding Moor airfield.
On 13th December 1941 this 458 Squadron aircraft was landing at Holme on Spalding Moor airfield following an airtest when the starboard wing clipped a small
van on the edge of the runway. The aircraft's pitot head was broken off but no further damage is believed to have been caused or anyone injured.
Crew - Names unknown.
Wellington Z1212 was built to contract B.97887/40 by Vickers Armstrong's Ltd. at Chester (Hawarden) and was awaiting collection in June 1941 but was initially flown into
MU storage with 48 M.U. at Howarden on 12th June 1941. It was taken on charge by 458 Squadron at Holme on Spalding Moor on 26th October 1941 but was never used operationally by them. As a result of the minor mishap there on 13th December 1941 Cat.A/FA damage was as serious as the damage would have got but it is not recorded on the aircraft's AM Form 78. It would have been repaired on site but by the time the repair had been completed 458 Squadron had been withdrawn from operations in preparation for their move to the Middle East. The aircraft was transferred to 460 Squadron RAAF at Breighton on 4th March 1942. On or just prior to 22nd June 1942 it received minor Cat.Ac/FA damage but how this came about is not yet known. This saw a team from Vickers at Weybridge begin a repair on site on 22nd June 1942 and it was returned to 460 Squadron days later on 27th June 1942.
On the night of 29th / 30th June 1942 it received flak damage on an operational flight but this damage does not feature on the aircraft's AM Form 78. It was again repaired on site and returned to 460 Squadron use. On 27th August 1942 it failed to return from Ops to Kassel when it was shot down by a night fighter over Holland. One of the crew managed to bale out but four of its then crew were killed. Cat E.m damage was recorded on the paperwork.