XM244 was at Kuantan (Malaya) when it had an unfortunate accident. Aircraft of 3 Sqn and 14 Sqn were detached to Kauntan to support the effort against the Indonesian terrorists - Confrontation. On 10 or 11 November 1964, 3 Sqn's XM244, flown by a 14 Sqn crew, suffered a port undercarriage retraction and dropped on the runway. This was after landing as indicated by the fact that the canopy is still in position (therefore no apparent problems before the landing). Damage to the port wing was pretty severe because of the tip-tanks levering the wing upwards, but I don't think it was much more than Cat 3. This was obviously repaired as XM244 rejoined 3 Sqn and moved with them to RAFG Laarbruch where it was struck off charge in June 1972. It then went on to be a decoy arcraft at RAFG Gutersloh and was eventually moved to the fire dump there in 1979. It was still there in 1990.
On 9 June 1965 at RAF Manston the XM244 performed a foam-runway landing at RAF Manston. The emergency landing, undertaken in bad weather by Flt Lt Ron Ledwidge and his navigator Flt Lt Martin Fortune, was caused when a faulty hydraulic sequence valve prevented the port undercarriage leg from lowering. It is a credit to Ron's skill that he held such a straight touch-down with one leg up and flying with no canopy.
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