On 25th June 1942 this 403 Squadron aircraft was being started at Catterick airfield when it moved forward into an oil drum damaging the propeller.
Pilot - (possibly) none.
Magister L8288 was built to contract 706823/37 by Philips and Powys at Woodley and was delivered to 26 M.U. at Cardington on 5th September 1938. It remained in storage for nearly a year until 31st August 1939 when it was taken on charge by 27 E. & R.F.T.S. at Tollerton. On 15th October 1939 it was transferred to 24 E.F.T.S. at Sydenham where it was coded "-10". On 21st June 1940 it sustained Cat.R damage and it was taken for repair to Philips and Powys Ltd. Woodley for repair five days later. With repair complete it was then placed into store until being taken on charge by 403 Squadron RCAF at North Weald in December 1941. On 28th March 1942 it was flown to 32 MU at St.Athan for minor work to be carried out and it was returned to 403 Squadron at North Weald on 8th April 1942. 403 Squadron then moved to Southend on 2nd May 1942, to Martlesham on 3rd June 1942 and to Catterick on 19th June 1942. The mishap on 25th June 1942 is not listed in the published Air Britain history of the aircraft but it was clearly a Cat.A/GA incident resulting in a repair on site at Catterick. On 30th September 1942 it was transferred to 539 Squadron at Acklington but on 25th January 1943 539 Squadron disbanded, the aircraft remained at Acklington until 2nd February 1943 when it was flown to Atlantic Coast Airlines Ltd. at Barnstaple for a major repair. On 30th April 1943, on completion of the repair it was flown to 51 MU at Lichfield where it remained in long term storage for four years. On 10th March 1947 it was sold to British Air Transport Ltd. based at Redhill and on 30th April 1947 registered on the civilian register as G-AJRT. On 16th June 1954 it was registered to W.S.Shackleton Ltd. London. On 10th March 1955 it was registered to John Robertson Johnston, at Chobham. On 20th August 1957 it was registered to Reginald Joseph Horace Parkes, at Birmingham and on 22nd May 1959 it was registered to Grimsby Flying Club, at Waltham. It crashed there on 15th August 1959 was deemed beyond repair but was then sold to the Experimental Flying Group at Croydon for spares. In January 1960 it was moved to Biggin Hill where it remained until being scrapped. The registration was cancelled on 3rd September 1962 with it being listed as being permanently withdrawn from use.
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