Lancaster ED324 damaged in air, landed at Lindholme airfield.
On 15th December 1942 the crew of this 1656 Heavy Conversion Unit aircraft took off from Lindholme at 10.45hrs, during the flight at 14.00hrs the aircraft was in collision with a tree and the aircraft was slightly damaged around one of the port outer engine. The pilot remained in control and landed safely at Lindholme. The pilot was subsequently charged with a low flying offence. He underwent a Court Martial on 15th January 1943 the details of which are shown on the Australian National Archives website; he was found guilty and was reduced in rank.
Pilot - F/Sgt Russell Marks RAAF (404283), of Taringa, Queensland, Australia.
Crew - Names unknown.
Russell Marks was born on 8th December 1918 in Brisbane and was working as a clerk when he enlisted in Brisbane on 19th July 1940.
On arrival in the UK he was posted to a number of units; to 11 OTU on 7th June 1941, 99 Squadron on 16th September 1941 then later to
27 OTU on 21st September 1942 and to 1656 HCU on 18th October 1942. He completed his training with 1656 HCU and was posted to 100
Squadron on 25th February 1943. On 21st June 1943 he was posted to 30 OTU and to 166 Squadron on 18th July 1943. His Court Martial
and being docked a rank did not hold him back, he was awarded the DFM for service with 166 Squadron (Gazetted on 10th December 1943).
On 31st March 1944 he was posted to 27 OTU (possibly for instructional duties). He received a commission to P/O on 13th February 1944
and was promoted to F/O on 13th August 1944 and to Acting F/Lt on 1st January 1945. After his time with 27 OTU he was posted to 460 S
quadron and for service with them he was awarded the DFC (Gazetted on 4th December 1945) for "leadership and fine fighting spirit on
numerous sorties."
Lancaster ED324 was built to contract B.69274/40 by A.V. Roe Ltd. at Manchester and was awaiting collection in November 1942.
It was delivered soon after completion to 1656 H.C.U. at Lindholme on 28th November 1942 only to suffer a minor accident a few weeks later at Lindholme on 15th December 1942. No record of the damage was recorded on the aircraft's AM Form AM.78 so it was probably Cat.A/FA damage that resulted. After completion of the repairs the aircraft was transferred to 1662 H.C.U. at Blyton on 18th February 1943. During a routine inspection of the aircraft at Lindholme on 7th October 1943 it was found to have Cat.Ac/FA damage which was repaired on site in two weeks but nothing more is known about the incident. On 6th November 1943 it sustained Cat.B damage and was taken away to be repaired by A.V.Roe Ltd. Once repaired in March 1944 it briefly passed through Armstrong Whitworths and also 5 MU before being issued to 1 Lancaster Finishing School (LFS) at Blyton. On 12th February 1944 'B' Flight
moved to the parent airfield of Hemswell and on 25th November 1944 the unit was disbanded and the aircraft appears to have been passed back to 1662 HCU. On 7th July 1945 it was converted to a ground instructional airframe and re-numbered 5290M and after this date nothing more of the aircraft is known. The Form Am.78 suggests that it was then issued to 1661 HCU on 7th July 1945 but as this is the same date as the GIA date it may have been converted there for use by them.