Halifax W1006 at Marston Moor airfield.
On the 22nd December 1942 this Halifax was being flown on a basic circuits and landings training flight with 1652 Conversion Unit and was the trainee pilot's first dual training flight on the Halifax type. On landing at 15.00hrs the aircraft drifted heavily on the first landing, the crew took off and flew the next circuit of the airfield but making the second landing the tail wheel unit broke off and it skidded to a halt on the rear fuselage. The aircraft was soon repaired and back in service.
Pilot (Instructor) - F/Lt Samuel Davis Jones DFC RAF (45065).
Trainee crew - Names unknown.
Samuel Jones had orginally served in the British Army, serving as a Second Lieut in the Worcester Regiment (T.A), he transferred to the RAF and was granted a temporary commission as P/O on 27th November 1940. While in the rank of Acting F/Lt he was awarded the DFC for service with 35 Squadron, Gazetted on 22nd September 1942. He was killed flying with 158 Squadron on 31st March 1944 when Halifax LW634 crashed in Germany. He is buried in Rheinberg War Cemetery.
Halifax W1006 was built to contract B.982938/39 by English Electric Co.Ltd. at Samlesbury. It was initially taken on charge by 10 Conversion Flight at Leeming on 26th Janurary 1942 but on 13th March 1942 it was transferred to 78 Squadron at Croft. On 8th May 1942 it was transferred to 35 Conversion Flight at Linton on Ouse and moved to Marston Moor with them on 5th September 1942. On 7th October 1942 35 C.F. was absorbed into the newly formed 1652 Heavy Conversion Unit at Marston Moor. As a result of the damage sustained on 22nd December 1942 minor Cat.A/FA damage was the assessment and it was repaired on site. The aircraft's AM Form 78 then has multiple errors on it. Halifax W1106's history is partly recorded in error on W1006's AM Form 78. On the AM Form 78 it states W1006 was lost on Ops on 20th July 1942 when this was W1106. There is no mention of a landing accident on 1st September 1943 with 1652 H.C.U. at Marston Moor but that probably saw Cat.A/FA damage be the damage assessment so it would not be on the AM Form 78. A repair on site was made and it was returned to 1652 H.C.U. use. On 18th October 1943 it made a heavy landing that broke the tail oleo casting. Cat.Ac/FA damage was the damage assessment and this was recorded on the AM Form 78. A further repair was made on site and it was returned to 1652 H.C.U. once complete. The AM Form 78 scribe must have got into a right pickle, he recorded it was then transferred back to 10 Squadron on 27th November 1943. It probably was transferred back to 1652 H.C.U. on that date and then continued to serve with 1652 Heavy Conversion Unit until failing a major inspection on 28th August 1944 that saw it being struck off charge on that date.