During the evening of 29th January 1943 this 10 Squadron was flown on a training flight. After landing at 21.30hrs the pilot taxied around Melbourne airfield but the brakes were ineffective. The starboard wing struck a tree.
Pilot - P/O Raymond Price Hellis RAFVR (123117).
Halifax W1276 was built to contract B.982938/39 by English Electric Co.Ltd. at Samlesbury. On 4th September 1942 it was taken on charge by 10 Conversion Flight at Melbourne but the following day was transferred to the parent 10 Squadron, also at Melbourne. As a result of damage sustained at Pocklington on 17th September 1942 Cat.Ac/FB damage was the damage assessment and it was repaired on site by a team from Handley Page. On completion of repair on 18th December 1942 it returned to 10 Squadron. On 30th January 1943 it sustained Cat.Ac/FA damage when the starboard wing struck a tree at Melbourne. The aircraft was again repaired on site and was returned to 10 Squadron on 6th March 1943. The aircraft was then transferred to 1652 Heavy Conversion Unit at Marston Moor on 2nd April 1943. On 14th March 1944 it swung on take off at Marston Moor and the undercarriage was retracted to stop it, the damage was deemed to have been too severe to warrant a repair and it was written off with Cat.E2/FA damage being recorded. The aircraft was struck off charge on 21st March 1944.
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