Halifax L9608 at Marston Moor airfield.
On 29th November 1942 the pilot of this 1652 Heavy Conversion Unit aircraft was undertaking a basic circuits and landings exercise when, at 12.00hrs, the aircraft swung during one of the take off runs, the pilot applied the brakes but the undercarriage collapsed badly damaging the aircraft. It was found that the flight engineer had incorrectly set the fuel
supply to the engines and as it picked up speed at least one of the engines stopped due to lack of fuel which resulted in the swing. The photograph above shows Halifax L9608.
Pilot - F/Sgt John David William Stenhouse RAFVR (1268035).
Crew - Names unknown.
John Stenhouse was born in the Toxteth Park area of what was then Lancashire in 1922 but his parents were living in Essex at the time of his death. He completed
his training and was posted to 51 Squadron. F/Sgt Stenhouse was killed on 1st/2nd March 1943 while flying Halifax BB223 on Ops to Berlin when the aircraft was shot
down by a night-fighter. The Halifax crashed in Holland with the loss of the seven crew. F/Sgt Stenhouse was twenty one years old and is buried in Voorst General Cemetery, Netherlands.
Halifax L9608 was built to contract 692649/37 by Handley Page Ltd. at Radlett and was allotted to 24 MU on 2nd September 1941. It was received by 24 MU at Ternhill on 2nd October 1941 for preparation for operational flight and on 17th October 1941 it was taken on charge by 76 Squadron at Middleton St.George. It completed just three operational flights. On 14th February 1942 it was transferred to 1652 Conversion Unit at Marston Moor. On 24th February 1942 it crashed on take off from Marston Moor that damaged the undercarriage. The damage was assessed two days later as being Cat.Ac/FA and it was repaired on site. With the repair complete it was returned to 1652 Conversion Unit on 21st June 1942 who later became 1652 Heavy Conversion Unit. As the result of another crash at Marston Moor on 29th November 1942 Cat.B/FA damage was the initial damage assessment. A month later on 30th December 1942 the repair must have been started in a works factory when it was found more seriously damaged than initially thought. No.43 Group D.A. assessed it as Re-Cat.E and it was struck off charge.