Beaufighter T4757 at Catfoss airfield.
On 21st April 1943 the crew of this 2 (Coastal) Operational Training Unit aircraft were undertaking a training flight when it stalled when coming in for a night landing at Catfoss, it crashed some 400 yards west of the airfield and both airmen on board sadly died.
Pilot - F/O John Gerald Rappoport RAFVR (117641), aged 28. Buried Rusper Churchyard, Sussex.
Navigator - Sgt John Henry Hicken RAFVR (1143768), aged 21, of Erdington, Birmingham. Buried Little Aston Churchyard, Staffordshire.
John Rappoport was probably born in the Hendon district of Middlesex in 1914. He received a commission on 19th December 1941 to the rank of P/O on probation (emergency) and rose to F/O on 1st October 1942.
Beaufighter T4757 was built to contract B.41906/39 by Fairey Aviation Ltd. at Stockport and was awaiting collection in June 1941. After a period of MU storage it was taken on charge by 143 Squadron at Sumburgh in around three months later. It was being used operationally by them from October 1941. In December 1941 the aircraft was transferred to 235 Squadron at Dyce and on 25th March 1942 it moved with this unit to Sumburgh. In June 1942 it is believed to have been placed in MU storage when the unit began conversion to Beaufighter Mk.VI's. The 235 Squadron records list their aircraft by squadron code around this period so I cannot check the date it was last used by them operationally. The date the aircraft was taken on charge 2 (C) O.T.U. is not known. As a result of the crash on 21st April 1943 Cat.E2/FA damage was the damage assessment and it was struck off charge.