Spitfire BL365 at Thornaby airfield.
Around this period while 401 Squadron was based at Catterick airfield it also used Thornaby airfield as a form of forward operating airfield to undertake coastal patrols. Some other flights were also carried out there. On 25th May 1943 Spitfire BL365 of 401 Squadron was flown from Catterick to Thornaby and the flight lasted for fifteen minutes. At 13.45hrs the aircraft landed at Thornaby airfield but when the pilot applied the brakes he found one did not work. A swing developed and the aircraft's undercarriage eventually collapsed. The brake cable was found to have broken.
Pilot - P/O F B Evans RCAF (J/16672).