Halifax MZ862 at Lissett airfield.
During the early hours of 15th October 1944 this 158 Squadron aircraft was to have been flown on an operational flight to bomb Duisburg. On take off at Lissett airfield at around 00.50hrs the aircraft swung off the runway and came to rest with the tail wheel oleo broken. The aircraft could not be moved but appears to have not caused a hazard to other 158 Squadron aircraft taking off behind it. At 00.50hrs 158 Squadron Halifax LK850 also crashed on take off, the crew escaped and after fire crews could not bring the fire under control the area was cleared. At 02.00hrs the bomb load in LK850 exploded. The explosion disintergrated the aircraft and caused damage to airfield buildings including the technical buildings / radar section. Halifax MZ862 was then further damaged when LK850 exploded. Unfortunately the squadron records do not state who was initially attempting to take off in MZ862 when the tail wheel collapse happened. The damage to MZ862 was initially assessed as repairable Cat.B but this was later re-graded as Re.Cat.E and it was struck off charge.
Crew - Names unknown.
Of the pilots that flew ops on 14th October, then the two on 15th October the following pilots were not listed as taking off for the first operational sortie on 15th October when this incident occurred. Kuperman, Coles, Wray, Pope, Bayley, Sinclair, Dennis and Houston (who had flown Ops on 14th October). Hyndman and Harmer (who flew the later sorties on 15th October 1944). Only additional and as yet unlocated information will give some clues as to who was in MZ862.