Halifax R9431 at Marston Moor airfield.
On 16th April 1942 this 1652 Conversion Unit aircraft suffered an engine failure on a training flight which resulted in the starboard outer engine catching fire. The crew attempted to but were unable to feather the propeller on the damaged engine and the fire could not be put out in the air. The instructor was able to return to land at Marston Moor at 14.25hrs but the undercarriage then collapsed and while the crew escaped uninjured the aircraft was badly damaged by fire. The starboard wing broke off and was able to be dragged away which saved the two engines. The pilot was also involved in an incident prior to this one on the same day when he was the pilot of Halifax L9509 which had suffered an undercarriage failure during the morning at Rufforth.
Instructor Pilot - F/O Kenneth Derek Whisken DFC RAFVR (61037).
Trainee Crew (if any) - Names unknown.
F/O Whisken was killed on 25th June 1942 and is buried in Dalfsen General Cemetery, Holland. He was twenty two years old. He was the pilot of Halifax V9993 which was shot down on the Thousand Bomber raid on Bremen and crashed in Holland. The aircraft was on charge with 1652 Conversion Unit at the time of the loss. Oddly CWGC give the date of 25th June for his death, where as W R Chorley quotes the time of the aircraft being shot down as being just after 2AM on the 26th. One other member of his crew was killed but the date for his death was on the 26th, it could be that Whisken had been killed in an initial combat and another member of the crew had attempted to fly the damaged aircraft before it was later abandoned.
Halifax R9431 was built to contract 692649/37 by Handley Page Ltd. at Radlett. It was taken on charge by 1652 Conversion Unit at Marston Moor on 31st January 1942. As a result of the fire and crash on 16th April 1942 Cat.E2/FA Burnt damage was the assessment. It was struck off charge the same day. The Marston Moor record book recorded that the only part of the aircraft that was left un-burnt was the tail section.
Kenneth Whisken received a commission to the rank of P/O on probation on 18th January 1941 (with seniority back dated to 14th January 1941). He rose to F/O exactly a year later and was awarded the DFC for service with 102 Squadron, Gazetted on 13th March 1942. The citation reads.."This officer has participated in sorties both as second pilot and as captain of aircraft. He has shown exceptional skill and determination in pressing home his attacks at all time. P/O Whisken has attacked many important targets in Germany, including Hamburg, Mannheim, Frankfurt, Stettin and Cologne. He has at all times set a courageous example." On 30th August 1941 he was the pilot of Whitley Z6798 which was damaged by flak but he was able to return to Topcliffe and land without further incident. On 24th June 1942 he was the pilot of Halifax R9377 that crashed at Marston Moor after it lost an undercarriage upon swinging on landing.