Category 19-07

Lancaster NN805 (19/07/1945)

Administrator

Lancaster NN805 was being utilised for a training flight (formation flying) on 19th July 1945.

Its crew comprised:

  • F Cheshire
  • Others

The squadron’s Operations Record Book shows “NN805 struck a FIDO pipe line on landing, damaging the oleo of the tail wheel, which was thus prevented from castoring. When the aircraft was taxied to its dispersal point, the oleo collapsed causing damage to the tail plane attachments and the bottom of the rear fuselage”

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

 AM Form 1180

Taxiing having overshot on landing, striking tail wheel on FIDO cross hair, causing oleo leg to jam and prevent castoring of tail wheel. Tail oleo leg collapsed when pilot attempted to turn aircraft at dispersal

Lancaster NG485 (19/07/1945)

Administrator

Lancaster NG485 was being utilised for a training flight (formation flying) on 19th July 1945.

Its crew comprised:

  • RH Davis (Pilot)
  • BT Humphreys (Navigator)
  • A Skidmore (Air Bomber)
  • CFW Norman (Wireless Operator)
  • Sgt. W Hughes (Air Gunner)
  • A Springham (A Gunner)
  • .. Patrick (Flight Engineer),

The squadron’s Operations Record Book shows “During a training flight when several aircraft were flying in formation, two of them collided, presumably due to bumpy weather conditions. The aircraft RF139 and NG485 landed quite safely without injuries”

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

 AM Form 1180

In flight as No. 2 of a formation “vic”, pilot came too close to No. 1 Lancaster RF139 in rather bumpy conditions and struck starboard fin of No. 1 with port outer propeller damaging both aircraft; landed OK

Bernard Humphreys, who was navigator of NG485, recalls:

“Two Lancasters (NG485 and RF139) were involved in the formation flying exercise which was to be followed by a fighter affiliation exercise with a Spitfire.  The navigator of  RF139 had a camera and he had decided he would swap places with the rear gunner for a while so that he could take some photographs when flying in formation with our aircraft.

He told us that our port wing tip had twice tapped the rear turret and then we made the more damaging contact with our propeller.

Diagram showing the position of the two aircraft

Diagram showing the position of the two aircraft

On landing, the aircraft taxied to the same dispersal so that we could all see the damage.  The propeller blades of our port outer engine were crinkled and the starboard tail fin of their tail assembly had a vee shaped notch cut out of it, from memory it was about two feet deep.

…… in summary ……  it was too close for comfort!”

 

Lancaster RF139 (19/07/1945)

Administrator

Lancaster RF139 was being utilised for a training flight (formation flying) on 19th July 1945.

Its crew comprised:

  • GA Henderson
  • Others

The squadron’s Operations Record Book shows “During a training flight when several aircraft were flying in formation, two of them collided, presumably due to bumpy weather conditions. The aircraft RF139 and NG485 landed quite safely without injuries”.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

AM Form 78

There is no record of the aircraft being off charge of the squadron for repair following this incident

AM 1180

The AM Form 1180 shows “In flight, aircraft No. 1 of formation VIC was struck by prop of Lancaster NG485 flying as No. 2”

Bernard Humphreys, who was navigator of NG485, recalls:

“Two Lancasters (NG485 and RF139) were involved in the formation flying exercise which was to be followed by a fighter affiliation exercise with a Spitfire.  The navigator of  RF139 had a camera and he had decided he would swap places with the rear gunner for a while so that he could take some photographs when flying in formation with our aircraft.

He told us that our port wing tip had twice tapped the rear turret and then we made the more damaging contact with our propeller.

Diagram showing the position of the two aircraft

On landing, the aircraft taxied to the same dispersal so that we could all see the damage.  The propeller blades of our port outer engine were crinkled and the starboard tail fin of their tail assembly had a vee shaped notch cut out of it, from memory it was about two feet deep.

…… in summary ……  it was too close for comfort!