Spitfire EN834 at Clifton airfield.
On 1st February 1945 this aircraft was being flown on a fighter affiliation exercise when engine trouble saw the pilot make a landing at Clifton airfield at 16.05hrs. The pilot landed normally and taxied down runway No.17 but then ran off onto the grass. At this time the state of the airfield off the concrete had snow on it and was very boggy, what the aircraft went onto the grass (and possibly snow covered) the wheels sunk and the aircraft tipped onto its nose. Minor damage resulted. Minor injuries may also have been sustained by the pilot as he was taken to the airfield sick quarters. Clifton's flying control recorded in their logbook that the aircraft belonged to Riccall airfield.
Pilot - F/Sgt Wilfred Harold Sear RAFVR (1585311).
1689 Flight had operated the fighter affiliation for these heavy conversion units until mid-November 1944 when a handful of aircraft and pilots were transferred to Riccall from November until 27th March 1945 when they transferred to Marston Moor. Others say this was only a detachment of 1689 Flight to Riccall. I would disagree and say it was a different unit. 1689 Flight's orb makes no reference to having any Riccall-based detachment.
According to the Air Britain published history this Spitfire was part of 1663 Heavy Conversion Unit, based at Rufforth. I would however dispute this. The incident on 1st February 1945 is mentioned in the Riccall airfield station orb which would suggest a link to there. The unit that operated the fighter affiliation aircraft from Riccall for use in training crews at 1658, 1663 and 1652 Heavy Conversion Units is named in the Riccall airfield and also the 74 Base orbs as being the Bomber Development Training Flight (74 Base). They had a few Spitfires and Hurricanes. There is no official recognition of this unit which would have existed between November 1944 and May 1945. Riccall was most suited to being the base of these fighters because of the hanger space available, rather than at Rufforth or Marston Moor. The aircraft could have been owned by the heavy conversion units but operated by a handful of pilots outside of the HCU system, such as being attached to 74 Base (within No.7 Group).
F/Sgt Sear had been a 1689 Flight pilot until being transferred to Riccall on 19th November 1944. He had actually received a commission to the rank of P/O on 14th January 1945 but the London Gazette only printed notification of this in March 1945. 19th November 1944 was probably the same date as the aircraft that were transferred arrived at Riccall from 1689 Flight. The 1689 Flight orb specifically states Sear was transferred from 1689 Flight not detached or attached from there. He is probably the same person named as "Slim" Sear who became a test pilot after the war.