Halifax W7807 at Marston Moor airfield.
On 22nd May 1943 the crew of this 1652 Heavy Conversion Unit aircraft were undertaking a night training flight. On landing at 03.20hrs at Marston Moor the aircraft drifted off the runway centre line and struck a pile of contractor's materials. The aircraft was badly damaged all but one of the crew escaped injury.
Pilot - F/Sgt William Frank Pyle RAFVR (1312130).
Halifax W7807 was built to contract B.73328/40 by Handley Page Ltd. at Radlett and was taken on charge by 102 Conversion Flight at Pocklington on 11th September 1942. It was slightly damaged at Pocklington on 18th September 1942 when Halifax L9504 taxied into it. Cat.Ac/FA damage was the damage assessment and a repair on site commenced on 22nd September 1942. The aircraft was returned to 102 Conversion Flight on 13th October 1942. On 14th January 1943 the aircraft was officially transferred to 1652 Heavy Conversion Unit at Marston Moor but was probably in by them after 102 C.F. was absorbed by 1652 H.C.U.late in 1942. As a result of crashing at Marston Moor on 22nd May 1943 Cat.B/FA damage was the initial damage assessment thought this was later upgraded on 31st May 1943 to Re.Cat.E and the aircraft was struck off charge. It had clocked up a total of 296 flying hours from new.
F/Sgt Pyle was soon posted to 10 Squadron, on 16th July 1943 he and his crew failed to return from Ops to Montbeliard in Halifax JD211. The aircraft probably collided with a night-fighter over Besancon and crashed on the railway station but with the bodies of the crew not being identified, two bodies were buried locally as "unknowns". He is commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial and was thirty one years old. It is possible that his crew who were with him in Halifax were also training at 1652 HCU when this mishap occurred at Marston Moor a couple of months earlier.