Halifax L9525 at Marston Moor airfield.
On 23rd February 1942 this 1652 Conversion Unit aircraft made a heavy landing at Marston Moor airfield at 16.00hrs when it hit a pile of snow at the side of the runway and the undercarriage collapsed.
Pilot - P/O Victor Douglas Knox RAFVR (63842).
Any further crew - Names unknown.
The aircraft is mentioned elsewhere as been slightly damaged in a mishap at Marston Moor on 22nd March 1942 with the pilot being S/Ldr Leonard Cheshire but no source documents have yet been found that mention the date or the incident.
Victor Knox received a commission in the RAFVR to the rank of P/O on probation on 20th April 1941 and was later promoted to F/O (war subs) on 20th April 1942. Following training at 1652 Conversion Flight he was posted to 78 Squadron and later to 76 Squadron. He later rose to F/Lt on 20th April 1943 and was awarded the DFC on 11th June 1943 following service at 1652 HCU as an instructor. The draft citation for his award stated "Flying Officer Knox has completed an exceptionally long tour of operational duty, both in this country and the Middle East. He is a very skilful captain of aircraft who has now been posted as an instructor. Flying Officer Knox has taken part with distinction in operations over many strongly defended targets including Essen, Cologne, Berlin and places in Crete and Libya. During all these operations he has displayed the highest degree of courage and resource." He was later Mentioned in Despatches on 8th June 1944. He died in May 2007 in Doncaster, South Yorkshire.
Halifax L9525 was built to contract 692649/37 by Handley Page Ltd. at Radlett and was allotted to 35 Squadron on 26th April 1941. On 17th May 1941 taken on charge by Handley Page D.G.R.D. and was then transferred to 35 Squadron at Linton on Ouse on 28th May 1941. As a result of damage sustained at Linton on Ouse on 15th July 1941 Cat.Ac/FA damage was recorded and it was repaired on site. The AM Form 78 appears to state that on completion of the repair it was considered for transfer to 28 Conversion Flight at Linton on Ouse but this was cancelled and it remained with 35 Squadron. On 28th October 1941 it was transferred to 28 Conversion Flight at Leconfield. On 30th December 1941 this unit moved to Marston Moor. On 2nd January 1942 28 C.F. was absorbed into the newly formed 1652 Conversion Unit at Marston Moor. On 23rd February 1942 it sustained minor damage at Marston Moor on landing, Cat.Ac/FA damage was the damage assessment and it was repaired on site and returned to 1652 C.U. on 14th March 1942. On 18th November 1942 the AM Form 78 states that it sustained Cat.Ac/FA damage in a flying accident. Unfortunately the unit orb does not mention any flying accident on this date and I have not yet obtained an AM Form 1180 to get more details. The damage was repaired on site and it was returned to 1652 C.U. on 13th December 1942. On 26th March 1943 it was transferred to 1663 Heavy Conversion Unit at Rufforth. This probably came about when 'D' Flight of 1652 H.C.U. moved to Rufforth to form 1663 H.C.U. earlier in the month but 1663 H.C.U. never operated early Mk.I Halifaxes so before the end of March 1943 it was back at 1652 H.C.U. at Marston Moor. On 14th April 1943 it swung on take off from Marston Moor, collided with a pile of earth which caused the undercarriage to collapse. The damage was assessed as too badly damaged to warrant a repair. Cat.E/FA damage was recorded on the paperwork and it was struck off charge on 26th April 1943.