No. 1662 Heavy Conversion Unit was formed on 26 Jan 1943 at RAF Blyton in Lincolnshire, and ceased operation on 6 Apr 1945 having handled conversions to Oxford, Stirling and Halifax bombers. 17 Australian servicemen lost their lives while serving with this unit.

With the introduction of new heavy bombers, the four-engined Short Stirling, Avro Lancaster, and Handley Page Halifax, the Royal Air Force introduced heavy conversion units (HCU). These HCUs began forming in late 1941, to qualify crews trained on medium bombers to operate the heavy bombers before final posting to the operational squadrons.

During their time at Blyton, 1662 HCU lost over 50 aircraft in a variety of incidents, many of which resulted in them landing in surrounding farmland much to the displeasure of the local farmers. June 1945 saw the arrival of 7 AHU (Aircrew Holding Unit) at the station.

The Squadron left Blyton in February 1943 and were replaced by 1662 HCU ( Heavy Conversion Unit ) with 32 aircraft – Lancaster Is and Halifax I and Iis and surprisingly a few Mancasters. The function of the station then changed and as it became part of 1 Group training organisation.

They were replaced by 1662 Heavy Conversion Unit (HCU), initially with Manchesters, Halifaxes and Lancasters but by the end of 1943 only Halifaxes were in use. In November 1944 RAF Blyton and 1662 HCU transferred to 7 Group and re-equipped with Lancasters.

Little information is available as to why at approximately 19:30 hrs local people noticed LL126 at a height of between 10,000 and 12,000 ft turning before diving steeply. They also noticed that the crew were struggling to keep the aircraft on a course away from the village buildings.

1662 HCU remained at Blyton for 26 months losing over 50 aircraft in crashes, many of which were in the farmland around the airfield which became quite unpopular. By the end of March 1945, the demand for specialized operational training was being more than met and the unit disbanded early in April.

On 26 January 1943, 1662 Heavy Conversion Unit (HCU) formed at Blyton with 16 Halifax and 16 Lancaster bombers (although later it would become an all-Halifax unit as the Lancasters were required for front-line service.

1662 HCU . HALIFAX . After almost one and half months at Hixon with 30 OTU he then went to a Heavy Conversion Unit (1662 HCU) on Halifaxes at Blyton on 9 March 1944. He stayed there until 19 November 1944 as an Instructor teaching mostly trainee Polish pilots. This was because of his ability to talk Polish. He left England on 2 December 1944.

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