SPITFIRE N3196 AT KILN PIT HILL

Supermarine Spitfire N3196 had an illustrious career that almost outshines the men who flew it!  What follows is a description of its working life from its first flight on 27th November 1939 through its delivery to 41 Squadron on 14^th April 1940, to its final destruction in a crash at Kiln Pit Hill on 25^th April 1943.

It was built at the Supermarine factory at Woolston, Southampton and had its test flight on 27^th November 1939, finally being delivered to 27 Maintenance Unit at RAF Shawbury, Shrewsbury, Shropshire on 2^nd January 1940.  After extensive testing it was delivered to 41 Squadron at RAF Catterick, Yorkshire on 14^th April 1940.

On 26^th April 1940, whilst returning from a patrol, the plane struck a sector light and damaged its undercarriage which in turn caused it to crash land and overturn.  The pilot, Sgt Isaac E Howitt, was unhurt in the incident.  However the aircraft was badly damaged and had to be dismantled and returned to the factory, at Hamble, Hampshire, for repairs on 5^th May 1940.

After repair, on 26^th August 1940, it was sent to 9 Maintenance Unit at RAF Cosford, Shropshire who in turn allocated it 603 Squadron at RAF Hornchurch on 3^rd September 1940 from where it was to take part in the Battle of Britain.  Only four days later it was in the thick of the fray, piloted by Sgt (later Squadron Leader) B G “Stap Me” Stapleton when it was badly shot up by a Messerschmidt Bf109.  He nursed it back over the Channel and crash landed in a ploughed field near Sutton Valence  in Kent.  He achieved a score of 6 kills, 2 shared kills, 8 probables and 2 damaged – several of them in this aircraft.  However, the aircraft was salvaged and returned to the Hamble factory for repairs just three days after the accident.

After the war he wrote the following:

".......During my dive from altitude I spotted a Spitfire at about 6,000' diving vertically, half inverted, towards the ground, it's tail shot away. I then spotted a lone 109 in the same airspace as an RAF pilot descending by parachute. I latched onto the German and pursued him at low-level over the Kent countryside. As I fired short bursts he attempted to shake me off but I could see my tracer striking his aircraft and I closed in. I remember at one stage being concerned that there was a village in my line of fire. He had nowhere to go but down and eventually force-landed in a field. I flew low over the site. The German was soon apprehended, initially by the unarmed cook from the local searchlight battery!"

This relates to the well supported, but unproved, story that he was the one who shot down Leutnant Franz von Werra – the only German POW ever to escape from British custody (in Canada) and make it home.  This was the subject of the Hardy Kruger film “The One That Got Away”.  He was not officially credited with the kill but he was flying this aircraft at the time.

On 8^th April 1941 it was re-issued to 57 Operational Training Unit at RAF Hawarden, Flintshire where it appears to have suffered unknown damage which caused it to be returned to the factory yet again.  In September 1942 the unit moved to RAF Eshott in Northumberland and, in December 1942, it suffered further damage but was quickly repaired and back in action.

On 9^th April 1943, piloted by an Australian, Sgt Theo Gilson Ross, the plane crashed, and was totally destroyed, at Fairley Farm, Kiln Pit Hill, Northumberland; the pilot was killed and is buried in the churchyard of St Mary at Stamfordham in Northumberland.

In a private publication, Alan Storr – a former WW2 Australian airman – wrote the following:

On the 9th April 1943, Spitfire N3196 took off from RAF Ouston to carry out a day flight training. During the flight the aircraft was engaged in a height climb, and was last seen doing aerobatics, Eye witnesses were of the opinion that the Pilot executed aerobatics at no great altitude and finally stalled for reasons unknown. The aircraft crashed into the sea near Fairlie Farm, Shotley Bridge, one and a half miles west of Whittonstall, Northumberland, and the Pilot was killed.”

The report is otherwise accurate, but I have no idea where he got the idea that the plane crashed into the sea!

SPITFIRE BL817 FL-G at DAISY HILL - F/Lt HUSBAND

On 13^th May 1942 a Spitfire of 81 Squadron, BL817, was doing aerobatics over County Durham when his engine failed at 2,000 feet and he plummeted towards the ground.  The pilot recovered control at 25 feet and managed a crash landing at  Daisy Hill near Medomsley. 

The aircraft was taken to 45 MU (maintenance unit), Kinloss, Moray for repairs.  In the final analysis, the aircraft was written off as unrepairable but no blame was attributed to the pilot.  He was a Canadian, Sgt Douglas Franklin Husband, who went on to become an Ace – scoring 5 kills and credited with a one third share in damaging another enemy aircraft.  He was also to become an Officer and won the Distinguished Flying Cross.

He was born on 5^th November 1920 in Toronto, Canada.  He arrived in Britain in September 1941 and was posted to 81 Squadron.  He moved on to 401 Squadron before being discharged, alive and well, on 2^nd June 1945.  He had also been promoted to Flight Lieutenant at this stage.

Douglas Franklin Husband (J17192) was awarded his DFC as an acting Flight Lieutenant; this was reported in The London Gazette of 26th January 1945 whilst he was serving in 401 Squadron RCAF.

The citation for his DFC reads:   “This officer is now on his second tour of operations, having completed his first tour in Africa where he destroyed one enemy aircraft and assisted in the destruction of a second. Flying Officer Husband joined this squadron on June 4th, 1944. His ability and daring were soon recognized by his fellow pilots and his eagerness to attack the enemy both in the air and on the ground, no matter what the odds, was admired by all.

Flying Officer Husband's devotion to duty, regardless of the task, has been an inspiration and an example to the other pilots in the Wing.”

During the first three months of the invasion he destroyed another enemy aircraft, and through his persistent attacks against ground targets destroyed or damaged over 50 enemy vehicles, often against extremely heavy flak opposition. During the hectic days of the Arnhem parachute dropping operations, he destroyed a further two enemy aircraft on one sortie, bring his total number of aircraft destroyed to 4 1/3. Latterly, this officer has been engaged in dive-bombing railway communication and ground staffing locomotives, which are among the most heavily defended enemy targets. However, his fearlessness and dauntless courage have again come to the fore and he pressed home his attacks with absolute disregard for his personal safety, achieving remarkable results.

My thanks to Steve Brew and Allan Hillman for pointing out two of my errors (which have now been corrected). 

SURPRISING AUDIENCE

It’s nice to know that people here are reading my blog but who would believe that this local stuff would have a much wider interest.  A recent report shows that it has been viewed in Canada, China, Denmark, Germany, Poland, Russia, Singapore and the United States!

De HAVILLAND MOTH DH60G - G-ABRD - AT KNITSLEY

Lieutenant Colonel Hereward Sprot was a distinguished former soldier who retired and became a partner in the family business, Sir S A Sadler Ltd, which was a coal company who operated several mines between Consett and Bishop Auckland.  This company held the mines right up until nationalisation of the coal industry in 1947. Hereward Sprot was also a licensed pilot. 

His younger son, Samuel Edward Sprot, known as Ted, was a Pilot Officer in 607 Squadron RAF; he was gazetted as such on 29^th August 1934.  He gained his pilot’s licence, No 10445, on 6^th May 1932.  He was just 22 years old when he died. 

His older brother, Alexander Sprot, was a licensed civil pilot and a mining engineer who worked for the family company.  The original family name was Sadler but was changed by Deed Poll on 17^th January 1931.  This was done for inheritance purposes after the death of Hereward Sadler’s mother in law in a car accident – she had only daughters – on New Years Eve 1930.  Her husband, Sir Alexander Sprot MP had collapsed in the House of Commons on 4^th February 1929 and died four days later.

The total inheritance was £6,658.00 which wouldn’t buy you a new car today.  However, that much money, in 1931, was worth just under £320,000.00 in terms of today’s spending power!

According to local reports, and the Operational Record Book of 607 Squadron, on the evening of 24^th April 1935, they were flying on a civilian De Havilland Moth DH60G G-ABRD out of Cramlington (Newcastle Airport at the time), piloted by Alexander.  He made a low pass over Woodlands Hall at Knitsley, Consett, Co Durham to wave at their father and sister in the grounds below.  The aircraft stalled during a low pass over the grounds and Alexander lost control and crashed killing his brother and badly injuring himself.

The distressed family moved on to Colepike Hall at Hollinside near Lanchester and later to St John’s Hall, Wolsingham – both in County Durham.

The remnants of the aircraft were kept and it was eventually rebuilt and was subsequently purchased by Brooklands Flying Club and operated by its subsidiary, the South Coast Aero Club at Shoreham, Sussex until 23^rd June 1940 when it was impressed for war service in the RAF.  It went first to 46 MU (Maintenance Unit) at RAF Lossiemouth, Moray, Scotland.  It then went to 8 RAF Gunnery School, as a target tug, at RAF Evanton, Easter Ross, Scotland on 14^th May 1941.  The only reference after that is “Probably written-off in accident” on 11^th August 1942.  During its military career it was re-registered as AW134.

Unfortunately, I have not been able to find a photograph of this aircraft.  

De Havilland Gypsy Moth G-EBYV at Medomsley

This aeroplane was built in 1928 as a de Havilland DH60G Moth seaplane with a Cirrus II engine.  It was registered as G-EBYV in the name of Major A A Nathan of the de Havilland Company on 23rd June 1928 and later sold on to Kenneth E Parker and Ian Robertson Parker who were sugar merchants from Liverpool but the aircraft was based at Gosport in Hampshire.

There is a report that it was originally based at RAF Mountbatten, the former Cattewater seaplane station at Plymouth, Devon and was frequently used by T E Lawrence (Lawrence of Arabia) during his time in the Air Force.  This information has been confirmed by Major A A Nathan's grandson who has kindly offered me a photograph of T. E. Lawrence beside the aeroplane.  Unfortunately I cannot send him my email address because incoming emails are (no reply) anonymous and I do not have his email.  Should he read this, my email address is nevillebougourd@gmail.com

On 2nd June 1931 it was sold to Iona National Airways whom, I believe, were Ireland's first commercial airline, and was re-registered in Ireland as EI-AAG.  Prior to this sale, it had been converted to a land plane. Whilst in Ireland it was re-engined with a Gypsy engine from another damaged aircraft and was thus converted to a Gypsy Moth.

It was sold to Newcastle upon Tyne Light Aeroplane Club at Cramlington aerodrome and reverted to its original registration of G-EBYV on 16th September 1932.

During its operational life it was twice entered in the King's Cup - a prestigious round Britain air race.  The first occasion was on 28th July 1928 when the race statistics were 38 entrants of which 36 started and 23 finished; one plane crashed, killing the pilot.  On this occasion the plane was flown by a professional pilot, Wing Commander Sydney William Smith.

The Race started from Hendon aerodrome in London and flew a circuitous route around Britain, reaching as far north as Renfrew in Scotland and returning to Brooklands aerodrome in Surrey.  On this occasion Wing Commander Smith was forced to retire at Nottingham after a collision on the ground with an Avro Avian III, G-EBZD, piloted by Flight Lieutenant Boyes.

On 5th July 1930, it was listed as a competitor again, with Ian Robertson Parker, a sugar merchant and later, RAF Officer, from Liverpool as the pilot.  The official entry shows it as a de Havilland Moth with a Cirrus II engine.  The race started from London Hanworth aerodrome, flying a circuitous course as far north as Cramlington aerodrome and returning by an equally convoluted route around the western side of the country.

Of the 101 entrants, only 88 actually started and 61 finished; the race was won by Miss Winifred Brown in an Avro Avian III at an average speed of 102.75mph.  Ian Robertson Parker was not placed but did finish the course.

On 30th June 1936, piloted by Samuel Smith, one of the sons of the founder of the Ringtons Tea company, the aircraft came to an ignominious end and ended up upside down in the yard at Glebe Farm, Medomsley near Consett.  The pilot, Samuel Smith was thrown out and hit Mrs Armstrong, the farmer's wife.  They were unhurt but both ended up in the slurry pit or the duck pond - sources differ.  Some say that the wing tip clipped Mrs Armstrong, knocking her into the slurry pit and that the pilot fell out of the inverted plane and just landed in it.

Wreck of G-EBYV  -   inset Samuel Smith, pilot 

Photo courtesy of Newcastle City Libraries

On 6th March 1937 Samuel Smith was involved in another crash in which his aircraft , de Havilland Tiger Moth G-AELA, "The Ringtonian" was written off in a crash near Newcastle Airport.  The photograph below was kindly supplied by the Smith family and copyright is theirs.

A few months later, in May 1938, Samuel Smith and two of his friends were killed when the aeroplane he was flying crashed and caught fire at Brundholme Ghyll between Skiddaw and Latrigg in the Lake District in appalling weather conditions.  The aircraft was a Percival P10 Vega Gull, registration G-AFGU.  The accident was seen and heard 2 miles away in Keswick.  Unfortunately no photograph of this plane is available.

The crash reports indicate that he made a violent turn to avoid a mountain and the rudder failed, losing some mechanical parts.  The accident was reported in the national press:

HURRICANE Mk 1 - L1963

On Sunday 27^th October 1940, at 10.25 am a Hurricane Mk 1, L1963, from 43 Squadron did a vertical dive into the ground at Congburn Dene near Edmondsley, County Durham.  The pilot was Sergeant Leonard Vivian Toogood RAFVR, Service No 758096; he was just 20 years old.  There is a suspicion that he was doing aerobatics but there is no firm evidence to back it up.

 

The Squadron was based at RAF Usworth – the present site of the Nissan car factory and the North East Aircraft Museum.  They had recently arrived at Usworth, having taken part in the Battle of Britain and were only temporarily posted there whilst they awaited a posting to the Far East.

Sgt Toogood’s body was taken to Portsmouth and buried in Kingston Cemetery in that city.

Several reports incorrectly name the crash site as Cragburn Dene.

HURRICANE MK 1 IN CONSETT - Z7062

On 30th August 1941, a Mk 1 Hurricane, Z7062 from 232 Squadron flew out of RAF Ouston on an army co-operation flight to test the defences of Consett.  After several passes and mock attacks, the aircraft came in at very low level in a dummy attack on a machine gun position in Parliament Street and its starboard wing struck the sandbags protecting a gun emplacement and decapitated one of the soldiers of the defence force.  The aircraft then crashed into a wooden garage at the end of Parliament Street and caught fire, killing the pilot.

Tragically, 232 Squadron were just filling time as they waited to transfer out to the Far East.  The pilot was 23 year old Pilot Officer John Heron Wire RAFVR, Service No 66493.  He was buried in St Mary's churchyard at Stamfordham, Northumberland close to RAF Ouston.

This seems to be the crash in which another story claims that it was a Polish pilot and the soldiers wanted to shoot him to put him out of his misery because they could not get him out of the burning aircraft, but their superior officer would not allow it.