Martinet HN951 damaged in the air, crashed near Flotmanby.
During the morning of 11th February 1943 this 1484 (Bombing) Gunnery Flight aircraft undertook an air to air firing exercise with the crew of Whitley Z9165 off the Yorkshire coast. The Martinet was towing a drogue and this would be fired at by trainee air gunners inside the Whitley. While over the sea off Filey at around 2,000 feet the Whitley got too close to the Martinet. While the Martinet was towing the drogue the pilot made a turn which took it toward the Whitley and both pilots appear to have realised that they were on a collision course. Both took evasive action which saw the Martinet go directly below the Whitley. They were so close so that the tail of the Martinet struck the starboard propeller of the Whitley. Very little damage occurred to the Whitley's propeller and the pilot went on to make a normal landing at Driffield airfield. The pilot of the Martinet initially remained in control and made for the coast but as it neared the coast the pilot began to lose control. There was no rudder control to the left side. He managed to get the aircraft down into a field near Flotmanby at 10.30hrs sustaining a slight injury to himself while his winch operator escaped injury. The location given in the casualty file for the injured pilot states the landing was made at "Simpson's Farm, Flotmanby" but with a map reference that puts it up on the fairly steep hillside that forms the lower part of Muston Wold which appears to be some distance from the Flotmanby farms.
Pilot - F/Sgt Charles Alfred Winch RAFVR (1377472). Injured.
Winch Operator - AC1 Eric MacKenzie Hanson RAFVR (1049910).
Charles Winch died on 13th September 1944 flying in 20 OTU Wellington MF730. He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial.
Martinet HN951 was built to contract ACFT/1690/C.23(c) by Philips and Powys Ltd. at Woodley and was first test flown on 22nd October 1942. On 9th November 1942 it was taken on charge by 1481 (Bombing) Gunnery Flight at West Raynham and on 30th January 1943 it was transferred to 1484 (Bombing) Gunnery Flight at Driffield. As a result of the damage on 11th February 1943 Cat.B/FA damage was the assessment which resulted in a repair in works. On 20th February 1943 it was transported by road back to Philips and Powys Ltd. at Woodley for a repair in works. With this complete it was flown to 19 MY at St.Athan on 31st March 1943 and was then taken on charge by 1634 Anti-Aircraft Co-op Flight at Hutton Cranswick on 19th July 1943. This unit disbanded on 1st December 1943 and became part of 291 Squadron which was also based at Hutton Cranswick. On 13th May 1944 it was transferred to 595 Squadron at Aberporth. This unit remained there until 27th April 1946 when they moved to Fairwood Common and Pembrey on 21st October 1946. they disbanded on 11th February 1947 so on 18th March 1947 it was flown to 27 MU at Shawbury. On 16th July 1947 it was sold for scrap to S.B.Lunzer and Co.Ltd.