Halifax LW375 at Tholthorpe airfield.
On the night of 31st May / 1st June 1944 this 425 Squadron aircraft was flown on an operational flight to bomb a target at Au Fevre and took off from Tholthorpe airfield at 22.10hrs. Owing to a thunderstorm that lay ahead over Europe the crew deviated from the planned route so, with the understanding the crew would then be too late over the target they abandoned the flight and returned to base. The load was not jettisoned on the return so when they landed at Tholthorpe at 01.02hrs the aircraft was 1000lb over the maximum permitted weight for landing. The aircraft touched down on the port wheel first and with slight drift, the tyre then burst and the aircraft groundlooped which caused the undercarriage leg to be torn off and damage to the port wing tip and tail. This aircraft carried the nose art "Pistol Packing Peggy".
Pilot - F/Lt Thomas Frederick Rance RCAF (J/25093).
Navigator - P/O Norman William Marshall RCAF (J/85583).
Air Bomber - WO1 J S Stokes RCAF (R/107711).
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - WO1 R J Whyte RCAF (R/97282).
Flight Engineer - Sgt Harold Vincent Wall RAFVR (1834603).
Air Gunner - Sgt W C Osborne RCAF (R/203171).
Air Gunner - Sgt W J McNabb RCAF (R/198638).
Air Guner - Sgt S Orien RCAF (R/809153).