At 15.45hrs on 12th September 1943 this 1659 Heavy Conversion Unit aircraft was being flown on a basic circuits and landings exercise, on one of the series of landings to be made at Topcliffe airfield the aircraft's undercarriage collapsed when the pilot applied the brakes too hard. The aircraft probably then skidded to a halt as it was deemed too badly damage to warrant a repair. It was thought that on the previous take off the undercarriage had received some damage when the aircraft briefly touched down again immediately after leaving the ground and while the undercarriage was being retracted, and this had caused some damage.
Pilot - Sgt Ronald Clapham Reinelt RAFVR (1388906).
Ronald Reinelt was a twin son of Alois and Eva Mary (nee Clapham) Reinelt and was born in 1922. He was flying with 429 Squadron by the end of September 1943 and was later posted to 433 Squadron. He received a commission on 28th March 1944 and was awarded the DFC for service with 433 Squadron, Gazetted on 17th July 1944, the citation makes reference to his actions in bringing back to England his badly damaged aircraft on 30th March 1944. His twin brother Sgt Norman Clapham Reinelt RAFVR (1314399) died on RAF service on 28th October 1942. He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial.
Halifax W7853 was built to contract B.73328/40 by Handley Page Ltd. at Radlett and was awaiting collection on 14th September 1942. It was taken on charge by 405 Squadron later the same month and as a result of collision damage sustained on 11th October 1942 minor Cat.A(c)/FA was recorded. After a repair was made on site at Topcliffe it was passed to the care of 1659 H.C.U. at Leeming and it later moved back to Topcliffe with them on 14th March 1943. On 12th September 1943 it was badly damaged when the undercarriage collapsed at Topcliffe, after which the damage was assessed and it was deemed beyond repair so was written off with Cat.E/FA damage recorded.
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