Mosquito HK159 at Church Fenton airfield.
On 7th November 1944 the crew of this 307 Squadron aircraft were carrying out a night flying exercise around Church Fenton airfield when an engine caught fire. With the engine shut down the aircraft landed at Church Fenton but the undercarriage was raised to stop the aircraft crashing beyond the airfield. It suffered damage that was deemed beyond economical repair.
Pilot - F/Lt Zbigniew Kleniewski PAF (P.1721).
Navigator / Radar Operator - F/Sgt Stanislaw Laudanski PAF (P.704127)
Zbigniew Kleniewski was born in July 1917 in Kluczkowice, Poland. He earlier served with 302 Squadron before receiving a commission (P.781414). He appears to have been doing some form of ferry work in early 1941 (possibly with 24 M.U.) as there are referenced to him being involved in two forced landings, one on 1st January 1941 when he crash landed a Defiant on a ferry flight and another on 28th February 1941 he crash landed Spitfire P7929 near Ternhill also on a ferry flight. He and Sgt Laudanski were posted to 307 Squadron from 54 OTU on 29th August 1944. On 22nd October 1944 he was the pilot of 307 Squadron Mosquito HK231 that crashed at Church Fenton on landing. After the war he moved to Canada and died in July 2004.