Stirling LJ887 at Marston Moor airfield.
On 28th December 1944 this 620 Squadron aircraft flew an operational sortie and as the unit was a supply dropping squadron this must have been over Europe but where is not known. For reasons unknown the aircraft ended up over Yorkshire on their return to England and sought to land. When the crew initially selected the undercarriage to be lowered only the tail wheel lowered properly while the main undercarriage legs only partially lowered. They made a second attempt to lower the undercarriage and this time the main wheels lowered fully while the tail wheel only partially lowered. The crew then used the hand pump to try and fully lower the tail wheel but this did not work so at 02.27hrs the crew landed at Marston Moor airfield with the tail wheel retracted. Why the aircraft was so far north of it's Essex base of Great Dunmow is not known.
Pilot - WO Rugby Keogh RNZAF (NZ.416120).