A Mosquito FB VI of 464 Sqn R.A.A.F. crash landed at Friston emergency airfield, Sussex, in February 1944.
Hit by AA fire whilst attacking a flying bomb launch site in Calais, this ‘Mossie’ had it’s port engine blown to pieces, and the entire port landing gear assembly shot out of the wing. With the starboard wing also severely damaged, the aircraft was extremely difficult to control, and the pilot nursed her back across the channel at about 200 ft, and at little more than stalling speed. Barely clearing the cliffs of Dover, and with his starboard engine overheating, the pilot executed a superb crash landing on one wheel. The aircraft is pictured with the port wing lifted onto a tractor, in order that it can be towed into a hanger. The damage was deemed to be too severe to be attended to by squadron personnel, and engineers from De Havilland were summoned to inspect the almost new Mosquito. Unbelievably, the factory assessed the damage, and deemed the aircraft as salvageable! It was repaired, and back in service within 3 weeks!
Image © Imperial War Museum