Halifax HR752 damaged in the air, landed at Lissett airfield.
On the night of 27th / 28th May 1943 this 158 Squadron aircraft was flown on an operational flight to bomb Essen and took off from Lissett airfield at around 22.45hrs. The crew released their bomb load onto the target area from 19,500ft at 01.07hrs but while leaving the target area the aircraft collided with a Lancaster resulting in the port outer engine loosing two propeller blades. Despite this damage and the engine being shut down the crew flew back to base on three engines and landed safely at Lissett at around 04.00hrs. The take off time and the landing time are missing from the squadron records.
Pilot - Sgt Michael Charles Pulsford Smith RAF (656994).
Flight Engineer - Sgt Eric Burnett Thorn RAF (647885).
Navigator - Sgt Louis Harold Jacobs RAFVR (1233721).
Air Bomber - Sgt James Arthur Higgs RAFVR (1394273).
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt Harold Leslie Smith RAFVR (1202872).
Air Gunner - Sgt Ernest Herbert Rhodes RAFVR (1285049).
Air Gunner - Sgt Reginald Albert Warner RAFVR (912765).
Halifax HR752 was built to contract ACFT/1688/42 by Handley Page Ltd. at Radlett and was delivered new to 158 Squadron at Lissett on 13th February 1943. As a result of the damage sustained on 28th May 1943 Cat.A/FB damage was the assessment and it was repaired on site. On 16th July 1943 the aircraft failed to return from Ops to Montbeliard with four of the crew being killed. Cat.Em damage was the damage assessment and the aircraft was struck off charge on 18th July 1943 having clocked up 171 flying hours from new.