Wellington W5479 at Pocklington airfield.
On 31st January 1942 this 104 Squadron aircraft was damaged on landing at Pocklington airfield during a night-flying exercise. The weather was poor on this date with rain
during much of the day. The aircraft was later repaired.
Crew - Names unknown.
Wellington W5479 was built to contract B71441/40 by Vickers Armstrong's Ltd. at Weybridge and was delivered to 51 MU on 5th April 1941. It was issued to the newly reformed 104 Squadron at Driffield on 26th April 1941. It was struck by lightning on 16th May 1941 on an operational flight which slightly damaged the aircraft and it was repaired on site after landing. Cat.A.FA damage was probably the damage assessment although the incident is not recorded on the aircraft's AM Form 78. On 4th July 1941 it sustained Cat.Ac/FB damage though the 104 Squadron records do not list this aircraft as sustaining any damage on the night's operational sortie to bomb Brest. It was repaired on site at Driffield. On the night of 27th / 28th August 1941 it was slightly damaged by flak which tore away some doped fabric from around the second pilot's seat area. The incident is not recorded on the aircraft's AM Form 78 so Cat.A/FB damage was probably the result of any assessment and repair would have been carried out locally at Driffield. It sustained minor Cat.Ac/FA damage in a landing accident at Pocklington on 31st January 1942 and was again repaired on site. Once repaired towards the end of March 1942 it was immediately transferred to 158 Squadron at Driffield, the squadron formed out of "C-Flight" of 104 Squadron on 14th February 1942. It the moved with 158 Squadron to East Moor on 4th June 1942. Following a mishap there on 6th July 1942 Cat.B/FA damage was recorded after assessment. It was transported for a repair at the works factory at Doncaster. After repair it spent time with 23 MU and then 33 MU before being issued to the OAPU on 11th May 1943. 311 Ferry Training Unit at Moreton in Marsh then obtained the aircraft on 21st May 1943. It was then transferred to No.3 O.A.D.U. at Hurn on 29th July 1943 and was then flown out to the Middle East theatre in Augsut 1943. No record of aircraft's history in the Middle East is yet known other that it was struck off charge on 27th April 1944.