Warwick ASR1 BV333 damaged in the air, landed at Thornaby airfield.
During the morning of 18th June 1944 two 280 Squadron ASR Warwicks were despatched from Thornaby to patrol "Area G" to cover the return of USAAF aircraft from operational flights. BV333 -S took off at 07.26hrs and BV335 -V took off at 07.30hrs. Unfortunately some fabric from the port wing of BV333 came adrift shortly after taking off that saw the crew turn around and land back at Thornaby at 07.41hrs. Warwick BV385 -M was then despatched to replace it and took off at 07.56hrs.
Crew - Names unknown.
Warwick BV333 was built to contract ACFT/494 by Vickers Armstrong's Ltd. at Weybridge and was delivered to RAF MU in September 1943. The aircraft was taken on charge by 280 Squadron at Thornaby but the date it arrived is not known. On 1st May 1944 the unit moved to Strubby but four of their aircraft remained at Thornaby on detachment to cover the North East coast. As a result of the incident on 18th June 1944 Cat.Ac/FA damage was the damage assessment and it was repaired on site. BV333 was back in the air on 20th June 1944. In the published history, the aircraft next appears on charge with the A.S.R.T.U. but this is unlikely as the A.S.R.T.U. had merged into No.5 (Coastal) Operational Training Unit at Turnberry on 2nd June 1944. It then appears on charge with No.6 (C) O.T.U. at Kinloss in August 1945. On 20th December 1945 the undercarriage collapsed on landing at Kinloss due to a structural failure. Cat.E2/FA damage was the damage assessment and it was struck off charge.