On 13th June 1942 this 76 Conversion Unit aircraft was being taxied around Dalton airfield on the perimeter track when the pilot noticed a cyclist so took evasive action to avoid a collision, in swinging the aircraft the port wing of this Halifax struck the starboard wing of Haliifax R9366 and minor damage resulted to both aircraft. R9366 was probably empty at the time. The pilot requested to be taken off flying Halifaxes
Pilot - Sgt Alan Lofts RAFVR (1216301).
Halifax L9574 was built to contract 692649/37 by Handley Page Ltd. at Radlett and was allotted to 76 Squadron 11t July 1941. It was taken on charge by 76 Squadron at Middleton St.George on 16th August 1941 where it initially carried the squadron code "MP-R" but was later "MP-C". On 18th September 1941 it received a Cat.Ac/FA damage assessment following a flying accident. No AM Form 1180 exists for this incident. It was returned to 76 Squadron on 4th November 1941 but 7th November 1941 it broke the tail wheel on landing at Middleton St. George. This damage was assessed on 19th November 1941 it was seemed to be damaged to Cat.Ac status. Again it was repaired on site and returned to 76 Squadron on 12th January 1942. On 13th June 1942 it was again damaged in a minor flying accident at Dalton, Cat.Ac/FA damage was the damage assessment and it was returned to 76 Squadron on 30th June 1942 once repaired. On the same date it was transferred to 76 Conversion Flight at Middleton St.George though may have been with the Conversion Flight prior to this date and also when the mishap occurred. The aircraft moved with them to Riccall on 14th September 1942. On 7th October 1942 76 Conversion Flight was absorbed into 1658 Heavy Conversion Unit at Riccall. The aircraft crashed at Thorganby on 9th October 1942 and was destroyed, with Cat.E2/FA damage being the damage assessment. It was struck off charge on the same date. The aircraft's AM Form 78 did not ever catch up with the fact that 1658 Heavy Conversion Unit had formed, thus taking the aircraft on charge earlier in October 1942. Air historian Eric Barton spent some time researching this incident in the mid-1990s and he, Ken Reast and Albert Pritchard located small parts at the crash with permission of the land owner.
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