Date:	Thursday 1 February 1945
Time:	15:42 LT.
Type:	Avro Lancaster B Mk I
Owner/operator:	61 Squadron, RAF
Registration:	NF912
MSN:	QR-L
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 7 / Occupants: 7
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	RAF Skellingthorpe, Lincolnshire -   United Kingdom
Phase:	Take off
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	RAF Skellingthrope, Lincolnshire
Destination airport:

Narrative:
Avro Lancaster B Mk. I NF912/QR-L of 61 Squadron RAF: Written off (destroyed) 1 February 1945 in an emergency landing at RAF Skellingthorpe, Lincolnshire. Mission - Target: Siegen, Germany.

The Lancaster was airborne at 15:42hrs on 1 February 1945: however, as soon as the Lancaster became airborne, the port outer engine cut out. The pilot then flew a very tight curcuit of RAF Skellingthorpe and crash landed on the grass short of the runway. As the Lancaster touched down, the bombload exploded destroying Lancaster NF912 and damaging three other Lancasters (ME373, NG386 and NG490). The explosion also killed all seven crew on board Lancaster NF912.

Crew
Flight Sergeant Leslie CHAPMAN (1576762) Wireless Op: Commemorated Whaplode Cemetery, United Kingdom
Flight Sergeant Samuel FLEET (1670353) Navigator: Commemorated Greatham Church Cemetery, United Kingdom
Squadron Leader Hugh Wilkinson HORSLEY (68786) Pilot: Commemorated Leeds (Lawnswood) Crematorium, United Kingdom
Corporal William Herbert HOWE (1682475) Air Gunner: Commemorated City Of London Cemetery And Crematorium, Manor Park, United Kingdom
Flight Sergeant Victor Douglas MERROW (1522918) Air Bomber: Commemorated Tynemouth (Preston) Cemetery, United Kingdom
Warrant Officer Henry John PYKE (575245) Flight Engineer: Commemorated Beckenham Crematorium And Cemetery, United Kingdom
Flight Sergeant Arthur Albert SHERRIFF (514220) Air Gunner: Commemorated Cambridge City Cemetery, United Kingdom

1. "Royal Air Force Bomber Command losses, vol 6. Aircraft and Crews Losses 1945", by W R Chorley, ISBN 0-904597-92-X.
2. "The Bomber Command War Diaries", by Martin Middlebrook and Chris Everitt, ISBN 1-85780-033-8.
3. Rob Davis Bomber Command Losses Database.
4. The Lancaster File (James J Halley, Air Britain, 1985).
5. 61 Squadron RAF Operational Record Book (Record of Events for the period 1 to 28 February 1945): National Archives (PRO Kew) File AIR27/580/4 at https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D8452685
6. Aircraft Movement Card (Air Ministry Form AM.78): https://lancasterbombersinfo.ipage.com/Data/Form-78s/Lancaster/NF906-NF975/mobile/index.html
7. Aircraft Accident Record Card (Air Ministry Form AM.1180): https://lancasterbombersinfo.ipage.com/Data/Form-1180/Lancaster/1945/Febuary/prt1/1.html
8. https://ww2history.eu/air-force-operations/airplanes-allies-and-axis-lost/lancaster/25143-NF9121945-02-02
9. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._61_Squadron_RAF#Second_World_War
10. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAF_Skellingthorpe#History

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
02-Feb-2025 23:11	Dr. John Smith	Added
06-Feb-2025 18:24	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Time, Source, Narrative, ]