Halifax BB246 at Riccall airfield.
On 15th March 1943 the crew of this aircraft had undertaken a flying exercise with 1658 Heavy Conversion Unit and landed at Riccall in poor visibility when, at 15.40hrs, the aircraft landed too far down the runway. The pilot swung the aircraft to avoid an overshot but the undercarriage collapsed. The aircraft was badly damaged but the crew escaped injury.
Pilot - F/O Dennis Francis Bertera RAFVR (118065).
Halifax BB246 was built to contract B.124357/40 by the London Passenger Transport Board Ltd. at Leavesden. The early history of this aircraft is not yet fully known. It appears to have been one of the L.P.T.B. aircraft not initially accepted by the RAF due to quality issues as it was not taken on charge by a squadron until after it's probably completion date. It was on 18th October 1942 that it was taken on charge by 76 Squadron at Linton on Ouse but this squadron do not appear to have used it operationally. It is recorded as being transferred to 1658 Heavy Conversion Unit at Riccall on 2nd February 1943. As a result of the crash on 15th March 1943 Cat.E2/FA damage was the damage assessment and it was struck off charge on 13th April 1943.
Dennis Bertera was born in 1918 in London. He received a commission on 21st February 1942 to the rank of P/O on probation (emergency). While training at 10 OTU he was flying Whitley Z6481 on 5th September 1942 when the aircraft crashed near St Mawgan, Cornwall injuring him and five members of his then crew. He recovered
and was promoted to F/O on probation (war subs) on 1st October 1942. After completing his training he was
posted to 158 Squadron. On the night of 16th / 17th April 1943 he was the pilot of Halifax HR779 flying Ops to
Mannheim when the aircraft was attacked by two night fighters and crashed in France. He was able to evade
capture and return to the UK. He was promoted to F/Lt (war subs) on 21st February 1944. Postwar he became
fairly well known for being a film director and producer. He died in 1997 in Wales.