Halifax W1010 at Leeming airfield.
At 18.00hrs on 16th April 1942 this 10 Conversion Flight aircraft was being flown on a training flight that involved practicing landings when it landed in a cross wind at Leeming airfield, the aircraft swung in the wind and an undercarriage leg collapsed.
Pilot - Sgt Philip Gordon Bell RAFVR (1259480).
Halifax W1010 was built to contract B.982938/39 by English Electric Ltd. at Samlesbury. It was taken on charge by 10 Squadron at Leeming on 13th February 1942. The aircraft only appears to have flown operational with 10 Squadron once, on 30th March 1942. It was then transferred to 10 Conversion Flight (also at Leeming) on 14th April 1942 to convert their aircrew to fly the Halifax. As a result of the misham at Leeming on 16th April 1942 Cat.Ac/FB damage was the damage assessment and it was repaired on site by a team from Handley Page but this took some months. On 22nd August 1942 it was returned to 10 Conversion Flight. On 26th August 1942 the aircraft moved to Melbourne with 10 C.F.. On 10th October 1942 it's AM Form 78 states that it was transferred back to 10 Squadron, also based at Melbourne, though it appears to have continued to be used by 10 Conversion Flight. On 15th November 1942 it sustained minor Cat.Ac/FA damage while in the care of 10 C.F. when it clipped a tree whilst taxying on the edge of Melbourne airfield. The aircraft was repaired on site and returned to 10 Squadron (10 C.F. ?) on 12th December 1942. On 31st December 1942 the aircraft was transferred to 1658 Heavy Conversion Unit at Riccall. On 2nd April 1943 it crashed at Riccall airfield sustaining Cat.B/FA damage but does not appear to have been repaired. The damaged aircraft appears to have been initially deemed repairable with Cat.B/FA damage being the assessment. It then appears to have been taken away and when the repair was started it was found too badly damaged so was struck off charge on 13th April 1943.