Halifax HX247 at Leconfield airfield.
During the night of 21st / 22nd January 1944 this 466 Squadron aircraft was flown on an operational flight to bomb Magdeburg and the crew took off from Leconfield at 20.38hrs. The crew released their bomb load from 20,000 feet at 23.12hrs. On their return to land at Leconfield the crew knew the aircraft was running low on fuel and made a less than perfect approach, rather than overshooting and flying a circuit of the airfield they attempted to land. The landing at 03.38hrs was heavy which saw the starboard wing drop and the starboard undercarriage leg collapse.
Pilot - F/Sgt Colin Roy Wilson RAAF (417255).
Navigator - F/Sgt Allen Frederick Baldick RAAF (422110).
Air Bomber - F/Sgt Alan Meredith Stark RAAF (418195).
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt Howarth Peter Stainer RAFVR (1315300).
Flight Engineer - Sgt Leslie Harold Cary RAFVR (1435332).
Air Gunner - Sgt Girvan Keith McDowell RAAF (426140).
Air Gunner - F/Sgt Wilbur Frederick Towler RAAF (427169).