My Wife informs me that her Dad always referred to a section being grafted on to replace the missing bit.
Also it would seem that my recollections of what he said about the accident were correct, in that he test flew it the day before his 21st Birthday ie 15th February 1944 and the crash occurred on 16th February 1944.
From -
http://www.deganwyhistory.co.uk/wp-c...0-42-SLIDE.pdf
“Little was recorded in the Operations Record Book for No.8 (O)AFU about the crash, these are the relevant entries: February 16th 1944, “Anson N5130 crashed between Conway and Llandudno (Map Ref 258008). Crew of five all killed.” February 1944 - Medical Officer's Report, “On the afternoon of the 16.2.44 the ambulance was called out to a flying accident near Llandudno Junction. On arrival there it was found that the crew of five were all dead and had been established as personnel from this Unit. They were conveyed back to RAF Station Mona Sick Quarters Mortuary. Two of the funerals were carried out here, the rest elsewhere.”
There are differing dates for the deaths of the crew on the Commonwealth War Graves Commission Site and on one of the headstones on the graves. There were no survivors from the crash.
Final Descent by Terrance R Hill gives the date as 15th February 1944 which is where I got my information from. I do not have access to my Father in laws log book at the present time so have not been able to check his entries, long story, impossible relatives!