Wellington returning to East Moor (fire in air).

On the 3rd of July 1943 this aircraft was flying its first Op with the squadron to Cologne when approximately half an hour after take off a fire broke out in the aircraft and an early return and safe landing were made at East Moor but the aircraft was declared Cat. B/FB.

Pilot - Sgt J E Pendleton, ok.

Nav - Sgt D Collins, ok.

AB P/O G Jarvis, ok.

WOp / AG - Sgt R C White, ok.

AG - Sgt R B Pierce, ok.

The aircraft was built to contract B124362/40 by Vickers Armstrong's at Chester and delivered to MU for acceptance in April 1943. It was issued to 420 Sqdn at Middleton St.George but transferred to 429 Sqdn. at East Moor during the last week of June 1943. Following this incident detailed above Cat. B/FB damage was recorded, it was sent to works for repair and on completion of repair it was issued to 20 OTU at Lossiemouth in August 1943. It was later destroyed (with Cat. E2/FA damage) on 26th August 1943 when it broke up in the air and crashed at Corry Down, Aberdeenshire. Six were killed in this loss.