Halifax LW371 at Melbourne airfield.
On the night of 8th / 9th June 1944 this 10 Squadron aircraft was flown on a cross country training flight. Following the 4.20 hour flight pilot the aircraft made a heavy landing at Melbourne at 00.59hrs which caused the starboard undercarriage to be forced through the starboard wing. The leg then collapsed and the aircraft was badly damaged. The visibility was poor at the time and the pilot misjudged the height of the aircraft just prior to it touching down. A week later the pilot and most of his crew were killed in the crash of Halifax LV825 near Rawcliffe on Aire.
Pilot - F/O Norman Colin Campbell Leitch RAAF (427001).