Halifax DG220 at Croft airfield.
At 08.40hrs on 27th May 1942 78 Squadron Halifax W1090 was in the process of taking off from Croft airfield so that the crew could give it an
air test, as the aircraft picked up speed on the runway a swung developed and it left the runway and collided with parked Halifax DG220. Both aircraft sustained damage.
Crew - None?
Halifax DG220 was built to contract 637/C4/C by Rootes Securities Ltd. at Speke. It was taken on charge by 78 Squadron at Croft on 13th April 1942. On 27th May 1942 it was struck by Halifax W1090 at Croft and sustained minor Cat.A/FA damage as a result. It was repaired on site and was returned to 78 Squadron on 8th August 1942 who had moved to Middleton St.George. On 21st August 1942 it transferred to 76 Squadron at Middleton St.George where it carried the squadron code "MP-F". On 17th September 1942 it again moved with the unit to Linton on Ouse. On 19th September 1942 it was transferred to 76 Conversion Flight at Rufforth. On 7th October 1942 76 C.F. was absorbed into 1658 Heavy Conversion Unit at Riccall. As a result of a collision with Halifax R9434 at Riccall on 4th January 1943 Cat.Ac/FA was the damage assessment and it was repaired on site by Handley Page. It was transferred to 1663 Heavy Conversion Unit at Rufforth on 8th April 1943 soon after the unit formed On 2nd March 1943. It appears to have been earmarked for a conversion to a ground instructional airframe on the day 1663 H.C.U. formed. The conversion took place to make it into a ground instruction airframe and it became 3651M. The aircraft had flown a total of 128 hours total flying time from new. After this date nothing more of the aircraft is known.