Halifax NA570 damaged in the air, landed (?) at Holme on Spalding Moor airfield.
During the evening of 1st January 1945 this 76 Squadron aircraft was flown on an operational flight to bomb Dortmund and took off from Holme on Spalding Moor at 16.44hrs. Outbound and while flying at 16,000 feet the port inner caught fire. The crew feathered the propeller and the fire was put out using the Graviner system. As the aircraft was struggling to maintain height on just three engines with a full bomb load the crew jettisoned the wing bay bombs to maintain height. This allowed the aircraft to maintain height at 15,000 feet and they then continued to the target and released the rest of the load at 19.24hrs. The aircraft landed safely at 20.50hrs but this was up to an hour earlier than other returning 76 Squadron aircraft who made it back to Holme on Spalding Moor with all four engines running. I find it likely that Halifax NA570 landed away from base and I would guess at Carnaby but cannot prove it. Unfortunately the squadron records are poor and do not detail landing locations though does say all returned to base (though I don't believe it).
Pilot - P/O Herbert Joseph Whittaker RAFVR (186057).
Bomb Aimer - F/O T R Gregorson RCAF (J/35125).
Navigator - P/O Albert Christopher Smith RAFVR (187773).
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt Donald Raymond Howell RAFVR (1396530).
Air Gunner - Sgt Eric John Baynes RAFVR (1269831).
Flight Engineer - Sgt Frederick Charles Brookes RAFVR (1895593).
Air Gunner - Sgt Edwin Haslam RAFVR (1315260).
Air Gunner - WO Leslie Huxley RAFVR (1458275).