Spitfire AA922 at Thornaby airfield.

During the afternoon of 20th May 1943 this 401 Squadron was flown on an airtest to check the operation of a newly replaced engine and to fly the aircraft from Thornaby, where the work was done, back to Catterick where the unit was based. It took off from Thornaby at 12.50hrs and flew toward Catterick, on the approach to land at Catterick the pilot selected the undercarriage down but the indication light in the cockpit did not light so he opted to land with the wheels up at 13.10hrs.

Pilot - F/O Arthur Christian William Avery Bishop RCAF (J/13101).