Typhoon R7631 at Church Fenton airfield.
At noon on 21st December 1942 this 183 Squadron aircraft landed too far down the runway at Church Fenton airfield following a formation flying exercise but, owing to bad visbility, the aircraft overshot the runway, crashed across a road and into a ditch beyond.
Pilot - Sgt Arnold Edward Arthur Collins RAFVR (1383381).
283 Squadron formed a short time before this mishap. Sgt Collins was posted in to 183 Squadron on 24th November 1942. I can find no evidence that he remained with the squadron after mid-March 1943 but where he went I do not know.
Typhoon R7631 was built to contract 12148/39 by Gloster Aircraft Ltd. at Hucclecote and was awaiting collection in October 1941. After a period of MU storage it was taken on charge by 266 Squadron at Duxford soon after 29th January 1942 when they began conversion from Spitfire MkV's. In July 1942 it was transferred to 486 Squadron at Wittering when the unit began converting from Hurricane MkII's and was then transferred to 181 Squadron at Duxford soon after 1st September 1942 when the unit formed. It was transferred to 183 Squadron soon after they formed and arrived at Church Fenton on 1st December 1942. As a result of the damage sustained at Church Fenton on 21st December 1942 Cat.B/FA damage was the damage assessment but no details of the repair are known. It may have been repaired on site but it does not appear to have been used by them when they started operational flying so it was possible sent away for repair. Whether this repair was ever carried out though is not known. The aircraft next appears as a ground instructional airframe in September 1943, possibly 4139M.