Mosquito DD687 at Topcliffe airfield.
Details surrounding this incident are lacking. During the evening of 7th February 1945 this 54 Operational Training Unit had landed at Topcliffe airfield but the reason for this is not yet known. At 21.10hrs it collided with a resident 1659 Heavy Conversion Unit aircraft; Halifax MZ625, on the perimeter track. The Topcliffe station ORB states that Halifax MZ625 struck Mosquito DD687 while the Halifax was overtaking the Mosquito on the perimeter track. The Halifax was assessed as having sustained minor repairable damage while the Mosquito was initially assessed on site as having sustained repairable Cat.B though this was later re-assessed as Cat.E and it was written off.
Pilot - W/O Tite.
Mosquito DD687 was built by De Havilland at Hatfield and was received by 19 MU on 19th July 1942. The aircraft was taken on charge by 23 Squadron on 6th October 1942 and was used overseas. The aircraft returned to the UK in June 1943, after a period with 27 MU from 20th December 1942 it was taken for a repair at a works factory on 19th May 1944. Once servicable it passed to 27 MU again on 20th October 1944 and was then issued to 54 OTU on 16th November 1944. As a result of the mishap on 7th February 1945 Cat.B/FA damage was the initial damage assessment. It was transported to a works factory for a repair in works on 13th February 1945 but on 21st April 1945 it was re-assessed as Re.Cat.E and was written off. The aircraft was finally struck off charge once the paperwork caught up on 17th July 1945.