Wellington R1695 at Holme on Spalding Moor airfield.
On 7th January 1942 this 458 Squadron aircraft was struck by Wellington Z8418 at Holme on Spalding Moor airfield after the other aircraft's crew mistook Holme for their own base
of Pocklington in a landscape almost certainly blanketed in snow. The crew of R1695 had just landed following a night training exercise and the aircraft sustained
damage to the starboard side. The starboard outer wing was torn off and the the starboard nacelle, engine and propeller was badly damaged as was the front turret
and forward section of the aircraft. Both aircraft were later repaired.
Crew - Names unknown.
Wellington R1695 was built to contract 992424/39 by Vickers Armstrong's Ltd. at Chester (Hawarden). It was received by 48 MU on 11th May 1941 and after a period of MU storage it was taken on charge by 458 Squadron at Holme on Spalding Moor on 30th August 1941 when the unit began equipping with Wellington MkIV's. As a result of the damage on 7th January 1942 Cat.B/FA was the assessment, it was taken away by road and repaired in works at the Brooklands factory at Sywell. On completion of repair it was taken on charge by 460 Squadron at Breighton on 4th August 1942. It was lost on 11th September 1942 (Cat.E m/FB recorded) when it failed to return from Ops to Dusseldorf, crashing in the North Sea due to engine failure.