Halifax MZ870 at Snaith airfield.
During the afternoon of 17th August 1944 the crew of this 51 Squadron aircraft were tasked with flying an operational flight to bomb Brest. The crew took off from Snaith airfield at 13.28hrs. Fairly early in the flight the aircraft suffered the port outer engine failing. The engine was shut down and the propeller feathered but the aircraft would not keep up with the rest of the bomber force. The crew jettisoned the bomb load at 14.30hrs from 5,000 feet and returned to Snaith. On landing at 15.23 the aircraft made an approach that was too fast and with not enough flap extended. On landing the aircraft swung off the runway causing the tail wheel to break off. The pilot was sent back to a Heavy Conversion Unit for further training on three engined flying. His crew appear to have remained with 51 Squadron.
Pilot - WO Alan Arthur Digby RAFVR (1255096).
Navigator - Sgt J Dibbs RAFVR (1620309).
Air Bomber - F/Sgt Sidney Kendrick Smith RAFVR (1413491).
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt W Brown RAFVR (1399877).
Flight Engineer - Sgt W Robertson RAF (519426).
Air Gunner - Sgt C G Mercier RAFVR (1868263).
Air Gunner - Sgt Aron Redner RAFVR (1892006).