The 102 Conversion Flight ORB for 19th May 1942 states that a Halifax sustained damage to the tail on landing at Dishforth airfield. Later in
the day the broken leg was replaced at Dishforth and it was flown back to Dalton but then flown to Topcliffe to have the tail bay skin repaired by ground crew of the parent 102 Squadron. The identity of the aircraft is listed in the June 1942 102 Conversion Flight ORB detailing repairs carried out following this incident in May 1942 as being Halifax L9565. It took many months to get the aircraft fully servicable again due to a major shortage in spare parts.
The AM Form 1180 for Halifax L9565 on 19th May 1942 gives a slightly different course of events. It states that the aircraft was being flown on a dual control circuits and landings exercise when, at 11.30hrs, the tail wheel fork broke on landing at Topcliffe after a normal landing. It was stated that probable weakness in the tail wheel fork had eventually caused it to fail.
Pilot - P/O Wallace Ivor Lashbrook RAF (45895).
Halifax L9565 was built to contract 692649/37 by Handley Page Ltd. at Radlett and was allotted to 8 MU on 12th June 1941. It was received by 8 MU on 2nd July 1941 at Little Rissington for preparation for operational flying and was then taken on charge by 76 Squadron at Middleton St.George on 2nd August 1941. On 28th October 1941 it was allocated to 28 Conversion Flight which was due to form at Leconfield 4th November 1941 and was then taken on charge by 28 Conversion Flight when it formed. Around 20th January 1942 it was transferred to the newly formed 102 Conversion Flight at Dalton a couple of weeks after the unit formed. As a result of a crash on landing at Dalton on 10th February 1942 Cat.Ac/FA damage was the assessment and it was repaired on site. It was returned to 102 Conversion Flight on 9th May 1942. On 19th May 1942 it damaged it's tail wheel assembly and tail bay skin on landing at Dishforth, the tail wheel was replaced later that day at Dishforth and it was flown back to Dalton but then immediately flown to Topcliffe for the tail bay skin to be repaired. Owing to a shortage of parts it was then left un-repaired for some weeks. 102 Conversion Flight then moved to Topcliffe on 10th June 1942 and to Pocklington on 7th August 1942. The 102 Conversion Flight records state that at the end of July 1942 it was still undergoing repair to a damaged fuselage tail bay with spares being greatly overdue to repair MkI aircraft. It took until 31st October 1942 for it to be returned to 102 Conversion Flight when it was flown to Pocklington to re-join them. Unfortunately it then crashed at Pocklington on 2nd November 1942 while taking off. Cat.Ac/FA damage was the initial damage assessment but on 20th November 1942 it was re-assessed as beyond repair so was struck off charge, Re-Cat.E being the assessment.
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