Some Spitfire accidents

[Phil Listemann]

Hello,

I'm looking for the pilots (name and service number) who were flying the following Spitfires when they were wrecked in the Far East:

28.05.45 - RM886 - T&WDU
28.06.45 - RN173 - 10.FU
08.09.45 - RN195 - 56.SP
11.09.45 - RM998 - 17 Sqn

Can anyone help?

Many thanks

Phil

[SimonG]

Hi Phil,

I don’t think you will be able to get the pilot details for RM988 - it was one of two that suffered structural failure during a dive bonbing practice. There is no detail in the squadron or wing ORBs that identifies which pilot was flying which aircraft and all the accident reports for Spit XIV aircraft that suffered wing failures are missing from official records. I imagine that is why Cummings book has missed them out.

Most of the staging post and ferry unit records are very vague but I will check through what I have for you.

Simon

Hello,

I'm looking for the pilots (name and service number) who were flying the following Spitfires when they were wrecked in the Far East:

28.05.45 - RM886 - T&WDU
28.06.45 - RN173 - 10.FU
08.09.45 - RN195 - 56.SP
11.09.45 - RM998 - 17 Sqn

Can anyone help?

Many thanks

Phil

[Jagan]

For RN173 i truly believe it was on charge of 17 Sqn http://www.rafcommands.com/database/...php?uniq=RN173 at the time of the accident.

17 Sqn records the arrival and notes "Our first Spitfire XIV arrived today and was immediately written off in a collision with the flying control truck. It was pure accident but naturally everone was rather annoyed that the very first Spitfire XIV should be written off so quickly"

Probably taken up for a spin by a 17 Sqn pilot and pranged immediately...

10 FU ORB records accidents quite detailed for the month including pilot names and causes and RN173 is not found in their list.

[SimonG]

Hi Japan,


I suspect that RN173 was written off by the ferry pilot - looking at all the ORBs for the Spit XIV squadrons shows there is a noticeable delay from aircraft arriving until they were ready for use. In most cases the aircraft needed inspecting and servicing after the ferry flight and usually the first couple were used to familiarise the ground crews with the new aircraft - in particular the differences between the Griffon engine to theMerlin that they were used to.

It is also possible that that RN173 was only flown from Nagpur to some intermediate point before being taken to Southern India by a pilot from another unit. However the paper trail only shows it passing to 10 FU before the accident.

Spitfire RN195 was being flown by a F/Sgt Phillips - no further details at this stage.

Simon

For RN173 i truly believe it was on charge of 17 Sqn http://www.rafcommands.com/database/...php?uniq=RN173 at the time of the accident.

17 Sqn records the arrival and notes "Our first Spitfire XIV arrived today and was immediately written off in a collision with the flying control truck. It was pure accident but naturally everone was rather annoyed that the very first Spitfire XIV should be written off so quickly"

Probably taken up for a spin by a 17 Sqn pilot and pranged immediately...

10 FU ORB records accidents quite detailed for the month including pilot names and causes and RN173 is not found in their list.

[Jagan]

It could be some other unit other than 10FU . FWIW, 10 FU lists six accidents for the month. Not this ac.. fairly detailed description of each accident, and pilot name. Their ORB also ends exactly at June 1945.. rest is possibly recorded elsewhere?