Halifax LV876 at Breighton airfield.
During the early hours of 28th May 1944 this 78 Squadron aircraft was to have been flown on an operational flight to bomb a target at Bourg-Leopold. At 00.12hrs as the aircraft picked up speed on take off from Breighton the starboard outer engine failed. The pilot managed to check the swing using the controls but was unable to stop and the aircraft hit a hut in a dispersal area causing the starboard undercarriage leg to collapse. The starboard outer engine was later ground tested and then air tested and no fault could be found with it. The pilot was killed just after D-Day while undertaking an operational flight to attack a target in France.
Pilot - F/O John Arthur Cole RCAF (J/25897).