Whitley AD708 at Leeming airfield.
At 11.45hrs on 25th March 1941 this 77 Squadron Whitley swung on landing in a cross wind at Leeming following an air-test. One of the undercarriage legs collapsed and it came to rest damaged after the wing struck the ground. The aircraft was probably been test-flown prior to evening on Ops to St.Nazaire.
Pilot - S/Ldr David Douglas Pryde RAF (39564).
Whitley AD708 was built to contract 106962/40 by Armstrong Whitworth Ltd. at Baginton and was awaiting collection on 25th February 1942. It was taken on charge almost immediately by 77 Squadron at Leeming the following month and as a result of the mishap there on 25th March 1942 Cat.A/FA damage was the result and it was repaired on site. On 6th May 1942 it moved with the unit to Chivenor having been detached to Coastal Command. In mid 1942 the aircraft was transferred to 10 OTU at Abingdon but remained detached to Coastal Command at St.Eval. It doesn't appear to have been used operationally by 77 Squadron in June 1942 so I guess it was transferred to 10 OTU sooner rather than later. On 27th September 1942 it crashed at St.Eval on return from an air sea patrol, on landing it swung and the undercarriage collapsed, followed by a fire which seriously damaged the aircraft. Cat.E2/FA damage was the assessment and it was struck off charge.