There is a very striking display at the Pathfinder Collection at RAF Wyton – the remains of a Mosquito which crashed on New Year’s Eve 1944.
Mosquito IV DZ589, from the Pathfinder Navigational Training Unit, took off from Warboys at 12:57 on a daylight training sortie. It was struck by lightning at around 12,000 ft. The engine caught fire and the aircraft crashed at Benwick. The crew were unable to put the fire out, nor feather the engine.
The crew bailed out safely, they were:
Pilot – Flying Officer H Harcourt-Smith
Navigator – Flying Officer P Germaine
Both were Canadians.
With many thanks to John Clifford for the information.