Wellington X3541 at Finningley airfield.
In the early hours of 18th May 1943 this 18 Operational Training Unit aircraft was parked on a dispersal point at Finningley airfield with the engines running. At 03.29hrs the rear gunner of the aircraft was walking around the aircraft when he walked into a rotating propeller. He was fortunate only to sustain arm injuries.
Rear Gunner - Sgt Tadeusz Kwiecinski PAF (P.704360). Injured.
Crew - Names unknown.
Wellington X3541 was built to contract B.92439/40 by Vickers Armstrong's Ltd. at Squires Gate and was taken on charge by 419 Squadron at Mildenhall on 4th April 1942. Four days later it was transferred to 75 Squadron at Mildenhall and on 13th April 1942 sustained minor unspecified damage in a flying accident that saw a Cat.A/FA damage assessment. The aircraft was repaired on site. On 9th July 1942 the aircraft was transferred to 101 Squadron at Bourn and on 29th July 1942 it was declared to have Cat.B/FB damage on return from ops. The aircraft was repaired in works by Brooklands Aviation Ltd. at Sywell and was awaiting collection on 11th December 1942. On 22nd December 1942 it was flown to 45 MU at Kinloss. On 24th April 1943 it was taken on charge by 18 O.T.U. at Finningley. As a result of the incident at Finningley on 18th May 1943 very minor damage must have resulted even though Cat.U/GA damage was the recorded damage assessment. It was damaged as a team from Vickers at Weybridge begun a repair on site on 23rd June 1943 unless this was from a second incident. On 2nd July 1943 it was returned to 18 O.T.U. charge. On 10th September 1943 it required a repair on site and unspecified damage by Vickers from Weybridge. On 17th September 1943 it was returned to 18 O.T.U. charge. On 21st March 1944 it sustained damage in an unspecified flying accident that saw a Cat.Ac/FA damage assessment. Again a repair on site was carried out by a team from Vickers at Weybridge. On 10th June 1944 it was returned to 18 O.T.U. charge. On 3rd August 1944 an engine cut out in flight and the pilot made an emergency landing at Hell's Mouth airfield but overshot and crashed in a field. Cat.E/FA damage was the damage assessment. The aircraft was struck off charge on 17th August 1944 having clocked up a total of 546 flying hours from new.