Halifax PN178 at Carnaby airfield.
During the afternoon of 30th December 1944 this 1652 Heavy Conversion Unit aircraft was flown on a cross country training flight. On taking off from Marston Moor the crew almost certainly began to retract the undercarriage immediately after becoming airborne and then the aircraft desceneded slightly, this would have caused the undercarriage to touch the ground and slightly damage it. The aircraft became airborne and the crew flew their training exercise. During the exercise the bomb doors were opened but would not then close properly. Once the exercise was complete the crew made an approach to land at Marston Moor the crew attempted to lower the undercarriage as normal but the port leg would not lower. They were told to fly to Carnaby and land there. The crew were able to partly lower the port undercarriage leg but on landing it collapsed and the aircraft ground looped. One member of the crew was injured. The crew were soon posted to 10 Squadron.
Pilot - P/O Gordon William Edwards Steel RNZAF (NZ.427535).