Halifax JD212 at Wombleton airfield.
Halifax JD212 during the time it spent with the Aeroplane and Armament Experimental Establishment at Boscombe Down.
On the night of 16th / 17th July 1944 the crew of this 1666 Heavy Conversion Unit Halifax undertook a night cross-country training flight. On landing at 03.55hrs at Wombleton on conclusion of the flight it swung to starboard. The swing have begun through a heavy landing but the pilot complained later that he had found it hard to fly straight and level so when the aircraft was checked it was found to have a buckled wing. Three of the front centre spar braces were found to be buckled. Because of the combined damage from this crash landing and the buckled wing it was not repaired. The pilot's name is given as "F/O J D Walace RCAF (J/35878)" on the A.M.Form 1180. Searching this service number is yields a different set of initials and different surname spelling. Bruce Carling Wallace was to be awarded the DFC for service with 408 Squadron on 20th July 1945.
Pilot - F/O Bruce Carling Wallace RCAF (J/35878).
Navigator - P/O William Vaughan Alexander Glover RCAF (J/37162).
Air Bomber - P/O J D Murdock RCAF (J/36279).
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - F/O Glen Nelson Hancock RCAF (J/24072).
Air Gunner - Sgt H B Reid RCAF (R/251214).
Air Gunner - Sgt A L Rothwell RCAF (R/208934).
Flight Engineer - Sgt George Richard Read RAFVR (1896192).
Bruce Wallace was awarded the DFC for service with 408 Squadron, Gazetted on 20th July 1945. He died in June 1999.
William Glover was awarded the DFC for service with 408 Squadron, Gazetted on 23rd March 1945.
George Read received a commission on 24th November 1944. Post-war he remained in the RAF, later transferring to the Reserve, until relinguishing his commission in 1959.
Glen Hancock later wrote and had published his account of the War "Charley Goes to War". He died in 2011.
This crew were posted in to 1666 Heavy Conversion Unit on 21st June 1944 and then out to 408 Squadron on 25th July 1944.
Halifax JD212 was built to contract ACFT/1808/C4 by English Electric Co.Ltd. at Samlesbury and this aircraft was delivered to the Aeroplane and Armament Experimental Establishment at Boscombe Down in June 1943. It was used as an airframe to trial a rocket launch system from beneath the inner wings. It was test flown with the mountings and fittings attached then ground tests of the rocket firing was undertaken but it suffered minor damage to the starboard wing during these trials. repairs were made and the modifications were later removed before it was transferred to 429 Squadron at Leeming in September 1943. 429 Squadron converted to Halifax MkV's in November 1943 so JD212 was transferred to 419 Squadron at Middleton St.George. On 22nd February 1944 it suffered Cat.A(c)/FB damage on return from Ops, a minelaying trip off the North German coast. The starboard undercarriage collapsed on landing at Middleton St.George and the aircraft ground looped. It was repaired on site but before the aircraft could be returned to service the unit had started to convert to Lancaster MkX's so it was transferred to 1666 Heavy Conversion Unit at Wombleton in March 1944. Following the incident and damage discovered at Wombleton on 17th July 1944 Cat.E2/FA damage was the damage assessment and it was not to fly again. It was struck off charge on 20th July 1944.