On 6th October 1942 this 1472 Flight aircraft was being flown very low as part of an operational training exercise with an Army unit during "Operation Tandem". The location of many of this unit's flights around this time were on land at Battle Hill, near Barnard Castle though I have not found any direct evidence that this was where this aircraft was damaged. The port wing struck a telegraph pole and while the pilot was able to remain in control and land safely the aircraft sustained wing damage. Where the landing was made is not listed in the unit orb, it was probably flown back to base at Dishforth or landed at Catterick with this being nearer Barnard Castle. The pilot escaped injury and had only just been involved in a flying accident on 30th September 1942 in Tomahawk AH999.
The unit is given as being 1472 Anti-Aircraft Co-operation Flight in pretty much every modern reference to this number unit that I can find. The 1472 Flight record book gives the unit title as being 1472 (D-B) Flight, or 1472 (Dive-Bombing) Flight. Which is correct is anyone's guess. As the scribe of the orb was there at the time I'm leaning towards 1472 (D-B) Flight being correct.
Pilot - F/O Percy Edward Holme RAFVR (62687).
F/O Holme was posted to 1472 Flight from 613 Squadron on 19th August 1942 and then to 231 Squadron on 6th January 1943.
Tomahawk AH884 was built to BPC Contract A-84 by The Curtiss Wright Corporation at Buffalo, New York, USA and was shipped to the UK in December 1940. Having arrived at A.A.U. at Speke for assembly and testing it was then taken on charge by 403 Squadron at Baginton when the unit formed in March 1941. In July 1941 it was transferred to 400 Squadron at Odiham. On 28th February 1942 it landed heavily at Odiham and the starboard undercarriage leg collapsed, minor Cat.A(c)/FA damage was the assessment with a repair on site following. It was transferred to 1472 Flight at Dishforth on 3rd September 1942. As a result of this mishap on 6th October 1942 minor Cat.A/FA damage appears to have resulted though this may have been upgraded to Cat.B because this aircraft was replaced by another Tomahawk at 1472 Flight on 10th October 1942. The aircraft later served with 1683 B.D.T. Flight at Bruntingthorpe when the unit formed in Summer 1942. On 18th December 1943 it was written off after it ran out of fuel and force landed a mile West of Conisborough, Yorkshire. The wreckage was assessed as being Cat.E/FA damaged and it was written off.
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