Wellington R1376 at Finningley airfield.

On 27th April 1943 this 18 Operational Training Unit aircraft swung off the flarepath while landing at Finningley airfield, the aircraft came to rest near the airfield bomb dump and was slightly damaged. The unit records list the aircraft as being L.1376 but this airframe wasn't allocated to an 18 OTU Wellington. R1376 was a Wellington that did serve at 18 OTU and this aircraft's AM Form 78 does record minor Cat.Ac damage having been sustained on this date. The "L" part may be it's unit code letter.

Crew - Names unknown.


Wellington R1376 was built to contract 992424/39 by Vickers Armstrong's Ltd. at Hawarden and was flown to 38 MU at Llandow on 22nd December 1940. On 19th January 1944 it was taken on charge by 214 Squadron at Stradishall and here on 13th May 1941 it received unspecified Cat.B/FA damage that required a repair in works. On 6th June 1941 it was transported to Brooklands Aviation Ltd. Service Aircraft Section at Sywell for the repair. On 24th November 1941 it was listed as repaired and awaiting allocation. On 27th November 1941 it was flown to 48 MU at Hawarden and on 23rd March 1942 it was taken on charge by 18 Operational Training Unit at Bramcote. On 15th July 1942 it received Cat.Ac/FA damage in a flying accident that then saw it repaired on site by Fairfield Aviation Ltd. On 1st August 1942 it was returned to 18 OTU charge and then moved to Finningley with the unit on 27th March 1943. As a result of the mishap there on 27th April 1943 Cat.Ac/FA damage was the damage assessment and it was repaired on site by a team from Vickers from Weybridge. On 22nd May 1943 it was returned to 18 OTU charge. On 3rd June 1943 it was transferred to 11 OTU at Westcott. On 3rd November 1943 it required a repair on site by Vickers from Weybridge and once repaired it was returned to 11 OTU charge on 4th December 1943. On 23rd January 1944 it was flown to 8 MU at Little Rissington but on 5th March 1944 during a major repair it was declared Cat.E so was struck off charge on 17th April 1944.

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