Halifax JB974 at Melbourne airfield.
Over the night of 9th / 10th August 1943 this 10 Squadron was flown on a circuits and landings training flight using Melbourne airfield. Twenty minutes into the exercise a landing was made at 00.11hrs. While taxying around the airfield, probably to the other end of the airfield to take off again, the bomb aimer attempted to raise the flaps but selected the wrong lever and raised the undercarriage instead. The undercarriage collapsed but the damage caused was limited, probably because the aircraft was not travelling very fast.
Pilot - F/O Reginald Pennicott RAFVR (124876).