A Royal Air Force (RAF) Battle of Britain Memorial Flight Spitfire crashed in a field near RAF Coningsby base in Lincolnshire, UK, on Saturday, 25th May. Unfortunately, the RAF has announced that the sole pilot died in the crash. No third parties or other personnel were involved or injured.
Emergency crews were called to the scene on Langrick Road in Coningsby following reports that the plane had crashed shortly before 1.20 pm.
A Ministry of Defence spokesperson said: “It is with great sadness that we must confirm the death of an RAF pilot in a tragic accident near RAF Coningsby today.”
An investigation into the cause of the crash is underway.
RAF Coningsby is home to the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, a collection of wartime fighter and bomber aircraft that participate in air shows and memorial displays.
The RAF also said it was “working with the emergency services and supporting those involved”.
BBMF Spitfire Mk LF IXe MK356
The Spitfire that crashed in Lincolnshire with serial MK356 was part of a batch of Mk IX Spitfires built at Castle Bromwich in early 1944, fitted with full-span wingtips and a Rolls-Royce Merlin 66 engine, optimized for low-altitude flying. Delivered to the RAF on 4th February 1944, it was assigned to 443 Squadron RCAF at RAF Digby on 11th March 1944. During its service, MK356 flew 60 operational sorties, participated in D-Day operations, and contributed to the shared confirmed kill of a German Me Bf109 on 7th June 1944. The aircraft recently marked its 75th anniversary.
In October 1945, Spitfire MK356 was converted to an instructional airframe at RAF Halton and later displayed at RAF Hawkinge. Restored at RAF Bicester in 1961, it was used in the ‘Battle of Britain’ film in 1967. Stored at RAF Henlow after filming, it joined the RAF Museum Reserve Collection in 1969 and was restored to flight by 1997. MK356 joined the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight (BBMF) later that year, presented as 21-V of 443 Squadron RCAF. It underwent maintenance and repainting at Duxford in 2007, adopting various historical paint schemes, including UF-Q of 601 Squadron and ML214, 5J-K, representing Squadron Leader ‘Johnny’ Plagis’ aircraft.
The aircraft’s final paint scheme was in desert camouflage, representing a Spitfire Mk IX of 92 Squadron in Tunisia in 1943. It recently underwent a scheduled ‘Annual’ maintenance programme in the BBMF hangar at RAF Coningsby and was returned to active flying duties by the end of April.
Read More here
