On the night of 23rd / 24th November 1943 the crew of this 1658 Heavy Conversion Unit aircraft took off from Riccall airfield at 23.15hrs for a training flight involving shutting one of the four engines down to practice flying on three engines. While landing at 01.28hrs a swing developed and the aircraft left the runway, the undercarriage collapsed and the aircraft came to rest badly damaged, a fire then developed and it was further damaged.
Pilot - Sgt Colin Elton RAFVR (1336784).
Crew - Names unconfirmed.
Colin Elton received a commission to the rank of P/O on probation 11th January 1944. He was killed flying with 35 Squadron PFF on 4th May 1944 when Lancaster ND643 failed to return from Ops to bomb Montdidier airfield in Northern France. The Lancaster was attacked and shot down by a night-fighter over the target area, and subsequently crashed near Montdidier with loss of the whole crew. He is buried Montdidier French National Cemetery, Somme, France. His crew killed in May 1944 were probably the same as who were training at 1658 HCU in November 1943. His Canadian navigator at 35 Squadron (John Hugh Ferguson) had been posted there from 1658 HCU on 3rd December 1943 which is probably the date when the whole crew were posted from 1658 HCU to 35 Squadron.
Halifax DT541 was to contract B.982938/39 by English Electric Co. Ltd. at Samlesbury and was taken on charge as new by 76 Squadron at Middleton St. George on 1st October 1942. The aircraft's AM Form 78 states that on the night of 16th / 17th January 1943 it sustained unspecified Cat.B/FB damage, the 76 Squadron orb makes no mention of any damage and there is no AM Form 1180 that could relate to this aircraft being damaged in a flying accident; add to that DT541 is listed as being flown on Ops on the night of 17th / 18th January 1943 so I doubt this damage assessment relates to DT541 at all. The AM Form 78 states this damage was the downgraded to Re.Cat.Ac and it was repaired on site and once repairs were complete it was returned to 76 Squadron on 4th February 1943 who had since moved to Linton on Ouse. On 28th February 1943 the aircraft was flown to English Electric Co. Ltd. at Samlesbury for modifications and was returned to 76 Squadron on 20th March 1943 once complete. On 21st April 1943 the aircraft was transferred to 10 Squadron at Melbourne. It sustained minor Cat.A/FB battle damage on 28th May 1943 and 12th June 1943 that saw repairs on site made each time. On 14th August 1943 the aircraft was transferred to 1658 Heavy Conversion Unit at Riccall. During a training flight on 24th November 1943 the aircraft swung on take off from Riccall airfield which saw the aircraft badly damaged when the undercarriage collapsed and a fire developed. Cat.E2/FA damage was the damage assessment and the aircraft was struck off charge on 30th November 1943.
Back to monthly table.