Hurricane LF587 at Rufforth airfield.
On 30th October 1944 this 1689 Flight aircraft had landed at Rufforth airfield as part of a fighter affiliation exercise that was to be carried out in conjunction with aircraft and crews of 1663 Heavy Conversion Unit based there. At 11.56hrs the Hurricane was taxying at Rufforth prior to take off when the port undercarriage leg collapsed, it swung off the runway onto an area of soft ground, this unfortunately saw the starboard wheel sink into the ground the starboard leg to the collapse. An investigation found that the port leg had probably been damaged due to previous heavy landings and the damage had gone un-noticed.
Pilot - F/Sgt James Edward Powell RAF (658518).