Beaufighter EL279(?) damaged near Ripon, possibly returned to Catfoss airfield.
On the 14th November 1942 this 2 (C) OTU aircraft struck a tree in the Ripon area when the crew were flying low to take photographs, the nose, fuselage, elevators and tailplane were all damaged. Whether all the damage was sustained in the tree strike or as the result of the landing that followed is not yet known. The unit ORB states the serial to be EL279 but does not state that the aircraft then crash landed in the Ripon area. Whether the aircraft crashed after the tree strike or the pilot was able to make a return to Catfoss or an airfield nearer to Ripon is not yet known. If Beaufighter EL279 was the correct serial number must have been quickly repaired as it was destroyed on 13th December 1942, just a month after sustaining this serious damage in November 1942.
Crew - Names unknown.
Beaufighter EL279 was built to contract B.65570/40 by The Bristol Aeroplane Co. Ltd. at Old Mixon, Weston-super-Mare and was awaiting collection in August 1942. It was taken on charge by 2 (C)OTU shortly after and as a result of the damage on 14th November 1942 Cat.A/FA would have been the assessment but it is not listed in the aircaft's published history. For it to be destroyed a month later it must have been repaired on site. It crashed near Dunnington, East Yorkshire on 13th December 1942 with Cat.E2/FA damage recorded.