Wellington BK155 at Dalton airfield.
At 00.08hrs on 3rd January 1943 this 428 Squadron aircraft was taking off for a non-operational flight when it swung off the runway at Dalton airfield and the port undercarriage collapsed. Damage resulted to the port undercarriage, the tail and the port side of the fuselage.
Crew - Names unknown.
Wellington BK155 was built to contract B.124362/40 by Vickers Armstrong's Ltd. at Chester. It was taken on charge by 428 Squadron at Dalton on 2nd December 1942 soon after they had formed on 7th November 1942. As a result of this incident on 3rd January 1943 minor Cat.A/FA was the assessment and it was repaired on site at Dalton by a team from Vickers at Weybridge. On 25th February 1943 it sustained flak damage on Ops to Wilhelmshaven and Cat.A/FB damage was the assessment, resulting in a repair on site again at Dalton. On 21st March 1943 the aircraft was transferred to 1485 (Bomber) Gunnery Flight at Fulbeck before later moving on to 82 O.T.U. at Ossington on 7th August 1943 before finally serving with 83 O.T.U. at Peplow from 2nd October 1943. On 28th October 1944 83 OTU disbanded so it was placed in MU storage pending disposal. It was eventually struck off charge on 12th May 1947.