Halifax NP751 at Linton on Ouse airfield.
During the afternoon of 24th December 1944 this 408 Squadron aircraft was used to fly an operational flight to bomb an airfield at Dusseldorf and took off from Linton on Ouse airfield at 11.45hrs. The crew released their bomb load onto the target area markers at 14.52hrs from 16,000 feet and just before releasing the bomb load the aircraft was slightly damaged by flak. On their return to England all 408 Squadron aircraft were diverted to land elsewhere with this aircraft landing safely at Earls Colne at 16.18hrs. Owing to poor weather on Christmas Day and Boxing Day this aircraft did not make the transit flight from Earls Colne back to Linton on Ouse until the 27th December 1944. Presumably this was a great disappointment to all concerned who missed the Christmas celebrations at Linton on Ouse. Whether the minor flak damage that had occurred on 24th had been repaired at Earls Colne isn't known. On landing with a gentle cross wind blowing at Linton on Ouse at 15.30hrs on 27th December the aircraft landed slightly heavy, this caused the aircraft to bounce twice and the tail wheel assembly broke. The tail wheel assembly on this aircraft had not had the strengthening modification incorporated so was the mounting was a weak point.
Pilot - F/O Robert Munday Armitage RCAF (J/35566).
Crew - Names unconfirmed.