Date:	Friday 19 January 1945
Time:	overnight
Type:	Avro Lancaster B Mk I
Owner/operator:	1666 (Mohawk) HCU (Heavy Conversion Unit), RAF
Registration:	HK745
MSN:	BL-P
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 0
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Substantial
Location:	RAF Wombleton, Helmsley, Ryedale, North Yorkshire -   United Kingdom
Phase:	Standing
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	RAF Wombleton, Helmsley, Ryedale, North Yorkshire
Destination airport:

Narrative:
On the night of 18th/19th January 1945, a gale over Yorkshire was responsible for damaging a number of aircraft that were parked on various airfields across the county. At RAF Wombleton, Helmsley, Ryedale, North Yorkshire, the record book states that nine aircraft sustained damage, mainly to their tails and tail assembly locking devices. The aircraft were correctly parked with their noses into the wind, but during the night the wind direction changed. A 50-mph gale bent the rudders and ailerons.

An instructional aircraft that had had all the engines removed was blown off its dispersal and being that much lighter than a complete aircraft it only came to a stop when it struck another aircraft, the record book does not identify them although the scribe commented "it finally came to rest cuddled up with another aircraft on the next dispersal, and in that intimate embrace they were found the next morning!"

Other damage to buildings was also caused around the airfield and snow began drifting inside some of the damaged buildings. The record book only identifies six of Lancasters that were damaged and one other 1666 (Mohawk) HCU (Heavy Conversion Unit), RCAF Avro Lancaster (JB484) that had been forced to land at RAF Carnaby earlier in the month, which was also damaged by the same winds. At Wombleton Lancasters HK745, LM391, LM460, HK736, HK742 and PB578 were damaged.

The aircraft with no engines was Lancaster DS730 and, because it was an instructional aircraft, it had all of its engines removed, making it therefore much lighter than a regular Lancaster. It was not adequately picketed and ran into parked Lancaster HK742. Aircraft Accident Record Card (Air Ministry Form AM.1180) confirms this.

As the aircraft were all "parked up", no injuries were reported to the air or ground crews, as all the aircraft were unoccupied at the time.

1. The Lancaster File (James J Halley, Air Britain, 1985)
2. https://www.yorkshire-aircraft.co.uk/aircraft/yorkshire/york45/19jan45.html
3. 1666 (Mohawk) Heavy Conversion Unit RCAF Operational Record Book (Record of Events for the period 1 to 31 January 1945): National Archives (PRO Kew) File AIR 29/614
4. Aircraft Movement Card (Air Ministry Form AM.78): https://lancasterbombersinfo.ipage.com/Data/Form-78s/Lancaster/HK699-HK755/mobile/index.html
5. Aircraft Accident Record Card (Air Ministry Form AM.1180): https://lancasterbombersinfo.ipage.com/Data/Form-1180/Lancaster/1945/January/prt2/2.html
6. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_conversion_units_of_the_Royal_Air_Force
7. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAF_Wombleton#Station_history

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
20-Jan-2025 20:31	Dr. John Smith	Added