Halifax LV901 at Breighton airfield.
During the evening of 21st July 1944 this 78 Squadron aircraft was taxying prior to or having just landed following a practice bombing exercise. At 18.55hrs while taxying onto the perimeter track at Breighton airfield and without warning the undercarriage legs retracted. The aircraft was badly damaged and was not repaired. Why the undercarriage was not understood, crew error was ruled out and it was left as an obscure technical failure that caused it.
Pilot - F/O Norman Gerald Mason RAFVR (152180).
I have no explanation why William Chorley states that the pilot was "F/O J E Carson" or that he had just landed after an operational flight to Bottrop in his Bomber Command Losses Book for this incident when the AM Form 1180 states F/O Mason with the service number given and that Mason was flying a training flight. Because other people simply copy his work without bothering to check what is written this error has found its way into various other publications and websites.