Beaufighter V8830 at Scorton airfield.

On the night of 21st / 22nd June 1943 this aircraft was being flown on a night-time local sector reconnaissance flight. At 01.35hrs the aircraft was coming in to land at Scorton when the pilot noticed that the Beaufighter's port engine was emiting flames but this did not seem out of the normal. When he landed he noticed that the engine was still on fire so turned off the runway and stopped the aircraft. The airfield's fire crew extinquished the fire after the crew had left the aircraft safely. The aircraft suffered a damaged engine, firewall and connections. The aircraft was one of a number being used by 417 Squadron USAAF in the UK before being posted to North Africa.

Pilot - 2nd Lt Robert C Swift USAAF.

Observer - Pvt Howard Kohman USAAF.

I credit Norman Malayney for this research, via the "RAF Commands Forum".