10/31/2011. Remarks by Johan Visschedijk: "This aircraft was built under the Air Ministry Contract Number 555/C.23(a) in the summer of 1942 by de Havilland at Hatfield as a B.IV Series II, powered by two 1,460 hp Rolls-Royce Merlin 21/23 twelve-cylinder liquid-cooled V-engines. It was delivered to No. 105 Squadron at RAF Marham, St. Faith, Norfolk, UK on September 16, and coded "GB-E" it flew its first mission three days later, target was Berlin.

On October 20, 1942, at 12.00 hours, the aircraft took off on a cloud-cover attack on Hannover, Germany and failed to return. Both crew, F/Sgt Laurence Walter Deeth (pilot) and W/O Frank Edward Malcolm Hicks (observer), were killed.

(Bill Pippins Collection)

Note the shrouded exhaust and the stopped and feathered propeller. It was John Yoxall, Chief Photographer of Flight, who took these and the following photos of the factory fresh DZ313 shortly before delivery.

(Johan Visschedijk Collection)

(Johan Visschedijk Collection)

It was pictured in black and white and in color.

(Johan Visschedijk Collection)

Here it breaks formation from the 'Flight' photographer's photo-ship."