Halifax at Clifton Airfield, York.
On the 25th of January 1943 this aircraft suffered a tail wheel collapse on landing at Clifton.
Clifton's ORB state that a Halifax force landed without casualties, Cat A(c)/FA was reported. Nothing further is known.
The aircraft was built to contract 692649/37 by Handley Page Ltd. at Radlett. The aircraft was used as a pattern airframe by the
London Passenger Transport Board Ltd. at their Chiswick factory from September 1941 being passed on to E.E.C. Ltd. at Salmesbury for
similar purposes in 1942. In late 1942 it found it's was to 76 Sqdn. Con. Flt. at Middleton St.George moving with the unit to
Riccall on 16th September 1942. 76 Sqdn Con. Flt. was absorbed into 1658 HCU at Riccall on 7th October 1942. The aircraft sustained
Cat. A(c)/FA damage at Clifton in the incident detailed above on 25th January 1943, it was repaired on site and returned to 1658 HCU
at Riccall in early 1943. It transferred on an unspecified date in the same year to 1663 HCU at Rufforth where it served with them
until being struck off charge on inspection on 25th March 1944.
Pilot - Sqdn/Ldr Charles C (Jock) Calder DFC DSO RAFVR, ok.
Crew (if any) - Unknown.
Sqdn Ldr C C (Jock) Calder DFC DSO served with 617 Sqdn in March 1945. He piloted the aircraft that dropped the first of
the 22,000 lb Grand Slam bombs - the biggest high-explosive bombs developed by any country during the war - to wreck the Bielefeld
railway viaduct in Germany. He had gained his DFC before 27th March 1942. On 11th September 1943 he was made a Sqdn Ldr, then only
holding the DFC. His DSO was published in the London Gazette dated Tuesday 13th June 1944. He was made an acting Wing Commander
in November 1945.