On 7th November 1942 the tail wheel assembly of this aircraft broke following a landing at Sherburn in Elmet airfield at 12.40hrs during a ferry flight by a pilot from 5 Ferry Pilot Pool.
The aircraft had been collected from 51 M.U. earlier and was probably en-route to join 424 Squadron at Topcliffe.
Pilot - SO Roy Mary Sharpe ATA (W.53).
Roy Mary Sharpe was born on 13th August 1910 at Clifton, Bristol and she learnt to fly as a civilian pilot at the Cotswold Aero Club, gaining her Royal Aero Club aviator's certificate on 11th November 1938 (Cert.No.16528). As a WAAF received her commission from Corporal (882519) to Assistant Section Officer (1186) on 14th September 1940. She resigned her commission in the RAF on 1st September 1941 almost certainly on account of transferring to be a ATA ferry pilot. She later became a test pilot and flew in the Kings Cup Air Race in 1949 and 1950 and during the 1950s race she gained a British speed record for being the fastest woman to fly over a 100km distance in a racing MkVb Spitfire.
Wellington BJ714 was built to contract B.124362/40 by Vickers Armstrong's Ltd, at Hawarden, Chester. It was received by 51 MU on 18th July 1942 and was initially placed in long term MU storage. On 7th November 1942 it had been removed from store and was being flown on a ferry flight from 51 M.U. to an unrecorded destination (though was probably to have been 424 Squadron at Topcliffe). The pilot was from No.5 Ferry Pilot Pool, ATA (based at Luton). As a result of the damage sustained at Sherburn on 7th November 1942 Cat.Ac/FA damage was the damage assessment and it was repaired on site. On 11th November 1942 it was returned to the care of 51 MU though may have actually still remained at Sherburn in Elmet. On completion of the repair it was flown to join 424 Squadron at Topcliffe. The aircraft was lost on 27th January 1943 when it failed to return from Ops to Lorient. Cat.E(m) damage was recorded and it was struck off charge.
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