At 23.45hrs on 28th May 1943 this 18 Operational Training Unit aircraft broke it's tail wheel assembly whilst it was being taxied around Finningley airfield. Minor damage resulted. It was repaired in less than 24 hours as the following night it is listed in the record book for Finningley airfield as having suffered a burst tyre at 23.30hrs.
Crew - Names unknown.
Wellington Z1653 was built to contract B.124362/40 by Vickers Armstrong's Ltd. at Hawarden and was rolled across the airfield to the care of 48 MU on 31st March 1942. The aircraft was initially taken on charge by 57 Squadron at Methwold on 22nd June 1942 but appears to have returned to Hawarden the same day though was later returned to 57 Squadron. On 29th July 1942 it sustained damage on Ops to Hamburg that saw a Cat.Ac/FB damage assessment being made. It was repaired on site by a team from Vickers at Weybridge. On 5th September 1942 57 Squadron moved to Scampton. On 29th September 1942 the aircraft was transferred to 115 Squadron at Mildenhall. On 28th December 1942 it sustained damage on Ops to Turin that saw a Cat.Ac/FB damage assessment. On 28th December 1942 the damage assessment was upgraded to Re.Cat.B and it was transported to Brooklands Aviation Ltd. at Sywell for a repair in works. On 9th March 1943 the aircraft was awaiting collection. On 16th March 1943 it was flown to 12 MU at Kirkbride then on 10th April 1943 it was taken on charge by 18 O.T.U. at Finningley. On 24th May 1943 it sustained minor damage at Finningley that saw a Cat.A/FA and a repair on site being carried out within four days. On 28th May 1943 it broke it's tail wheel taxying at Finningley, Cat.A/FA damage was again the assessment but the repair took less than 24 hours as it then burst a tyre taxying the following evening. On 28th July 1943 a further repair on site was carried out by a team from Vickers at Weybridge with the aircraft returned to 18 O.T.U. charge on 30th July 1943. On 18th September 1943 it was again in need of a repair on site by Vickers from Weybridge and was returned to 18 O.T.U. charge on 30th October 1943. On 5th May 1944 the aircraft was converted to Ground Instructional Airframe 4778M at 18 O.T.U. with the Finningley / 18 O.T.U. orb stating that work on the instructional fuselage was complete on 9th May 1944. It lasted until being struck off charge on 22nd June 1945.
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