Halifax L9605 at Marston Moor airfield.
On 25th January 1942 this 1652 Conversion Unit aircraft landed heavily at Marston Moor at 12.00hrs, the land wheel collapsed and the aircraft suffered damage to the rear of the fuselage. The tail wheel mounting was believed to have been weakened by a series of earlier heavy landings.
Pilot - Sgt John Walter Stell RAFVR (1051815).
F/Sgt John Stell had earlier served with 102 Squadron and was later posted to 76 Squadron. He was lost on 4th June 1942 in Halifax R9457 on Ops to Bremen and his name is commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial. The aircraft crashed on land rather than the sea and in more recent years the crash site has been found and there is a possibilty that human remains found at the site may be his.
Halifax L9605 was built to contract 692649/37 by Handley Page Ltd. at Radlett. It was allotted to 8 MU on 2nd September 1941 and was received by them on 10th October 1941. It was taken on charge by 35 Squadron at Linton on Ouse on 16th October 1941. On 31st October 1941 it was slightly damaged by flak with the damage probably being only a minor Cat.A/FB assessment that was repaired on site. The aircraft was transferred to 1652 Conversion Unit at Marston Moor in January 1942. As a result of a landing accident there on 25th January 1942 Cat.Ac/FA damage was the assessment and it was repaired on site by a team from Handley Page. It was returned to 1652 C.U. on 28th February 1942. On 31st May 1942 it was being flown by a crew of five on the 1000 bomber raid to Cologne when it failed to return. It was found to have crashed in Holland with the loss of one of the crew, four became PoWs. Cat.E/m damage was recorded on the paperwork and it was struck off charge on 1st June 1942.