Warwick BV231 at Thornaby airfield.
At 14.00hrs on 1st December 1943 this A.S.R.T.U. aircraft taxied into a tree at Thornaby airfield receiving minor damage. The incident is not recorded in their record book so further details have yet to be learnt.
Pilot - Name unknown.
Warwick BV231 was built to contract ACFT/494 by Vickers Armstrong’s Ltd, at Weybridge and was awaiting collection in June 1942. The vast majority of early Warwicks were placed in MU storage to await engines. The aircraft was taken on charge by the Warwick Training Unit (W.T.U.) at Docking soon after this unit formed on 25th June 1943. On 3rd July 1943 the unit moved to Bircham Newton and on 13th October 1943 the W.T.U. was re-designated the Air Sea Rescue Training Unit (A.S.R.T.U.). On 20th October 1943 the A.S.R.T.U. moved to Thornaby. As a result of colliding with a tree there on 1st December 1943 minor Cat.A/FA damage resulted and it was repaired on site. It continued to serve with the A.S.R.T.U. until being transferred to 283 Squadron at Borgo in March 1944. On 6th April 1944 it moved with this unit to Hal Far but on 11th June 1944 it crashed on landing there. Cat.E2/FA damage was the assessment and it was written off.