Lancaster KB832 at Croft airfield.
During the day on 22nd March 1945 the two Croft based squadrons, 434 Squadron and 431 Squadron, were to supply fourteen aircraft each for an operational raid to bomb a target at Hildesheim ahead of advancing ground forces. Eight 431 Squadron aircraft and seven 434 Squadron aircraft took off without incident. The eighth 434 Squadron aircraft, Lancaster KB832, was next in line to go down the runway. While taking off at 10.55hrs this Lancaster gathered speed in centre of runway but the owing to slight cross wind the aircraft started to veer to port. The pilot managed to correct this swing by adjusting the throttles on starboard engines slightly. The pilot then pushed the starboard throttle controls back to as they were but the aircraft then veered to starboard. The pilot then pulled the port throttle controls right back to try and check this swing but this did nothing to bring the aircraft back straight on the runway. The aircraft left the runway and the aircraft continued to veer off to starboard until it was around ninety degrees to the runway, the undercarriage gave way and the aircraft stopped abruptly just off the northern boundary of the airfield near Vincemoor East Farm. A fire then broke out between port engine and beneath port wing, this developed so quickly that the pilot gave the order to abandon the aircraft. All the crew exited without injury. The fire fighting section at the airfield arrived on the site immediately, they began to fight the fire but this appears to have ceased once the fire began to spread. All further take-offs were cancelled as the burning aircraft with it's bomb load of four 1500lb bombs and one 4000lb "Cookie" bomb were too much of a hazard. Once the fire could not be brought under control the area appears to have been cleared of personnel, aircraft that could be taxied away were moved and thirty seven minutes after the crash the 4000lb bomb exploded, scattering the aircraft across the airfield and surrounding fields and making a large crater. The explosion damaged Vincemoor East farmhouse and the farmyard.
A 431 Squadron aircraft, Lancaster KB811, was written off as a result of this incident. It was parked on the perimeter track too close to the burning KB832 so was not moved.
The Lancaster shown in the centre of the photograph must have received some damage but it's identity is not yet known. It may have been Lancaster KB811 but it would appear to be too far from the site of the explosion to receive damage that would write it off. This photograph is one that has been reproduced in many places. The Lancaster on the airfield must have sustained some damage with what appears to be at least one and possibly two large objects (possibly Merlin engines) flying through the air towards it but whether this is Lancaster KB811 I cannot be sure. I've seen another photograph in an e-book that shows the explosion site from much closer and another Lancaster is visible on it and sat on it's belly, I would suggest that being closer to the blast then this is probably Lancaster KB811. As I am unsure of any copyright issues I've not included it here. If that other aircraft was KB811 then the aircraft shown in the photograph above remains unidentified.
The pilot's name is confirmed but no crew are not listed in the squadron records relating to this incident. I would suggest that they may have been the same crew as appear to have been posted in to 434 Squadron together on 25th February 1944 and they are listed below.
Pilot - F/O Horace F Payne RCAF (J/41104).
Navigator - F/O E A Bishop RCAF (J/41426).
Bomb Aimer - F/O R H Pritchard RCAF (J/39931).
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt J Weston Johnston RCAF (R/190092).
Air Gunner - Sgt G H Hall RCAF (R/283615).
Air Gunner - Sgt W A Williams RCAF (R/140833).
Flight Engineer - Sgt J Housley RAFVR (2225273).
