Date:	Tuesday 5 December 1939
Time:	day
Type:	Hawker Hurricane Mk I
Owner/operator:	43 Sqn RAF
Registration:	L1725
MSN:
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	near Longframlington, Northumberland, England -   United Kingdom
Phase:	En route
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	RAF Acklington, Northumberland
Destination airport:	RAF Acklington, Northumberland
Confidence Rating:	Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources

Narrative:
On 5 December 1939 Sgt John Arbuthnot of 43 Sqn RAF was doing practice formation flying above clouds when he got into difficulties and broke away in a spin, falling into the clouds. When he recovered from the spin he was doing 330 mph, and not having enough height to pull out and still being in thick cloud he baled out and landed safely, with a slight injury to his right leg. The remains of his Hurricane I L1725 were found 12 feet underground on peat moorland near Longframlington, Northumberland. The salvage party reported finding one large hole with very little sign of an airplane at the bottom.

The crash site was dug out on 23 September 1978 by the Wealden Aviation Archaeology Group. Much of the material recovered appears was taken away by a contingent from 43 Sqn in their Land Rover for a trip to Leuchars.

John Arbuthnot was bom on 13 February 1914 at Cobbinshaw, West Lothian. He went to Braehead School and Carranshore Public School, Falkirk. He joined the RAF as an Aircraft Apprentice in January 1930 and passed out in December 1932 as a Metal Rigger. He later applied for pilot training and was selected. After his accident in December 1939 he was involved in an air battle with 43 Sqn on 8 April 1940, then was transferred on 16 May to 1 Sqn in France. At sometime during the Battle of Britain Arbuthnot was posted to 229 Squadron. He went missing between Hooton and Speke in an escort flight on 4 February 1941, his body being washed ashore on 14 April 1941.

L1725 was one of the first two Hawker Hurricanes (along with L1727) to be delivered to 43 Squadron, being delivered to the squadron on 29/11/38 at RAF Tangmere directly from the manufacturers (Hawker Aircraft at Brooklands, Weybridge, Surrey).

1. "The Fighting Cocks: 43 (Fighter) Squadron", by Jimmy Beedle. ISBN 978-1-84884-385-1
2. Fighter Pilots of the RAF 1939-1945 (page 129) By Chaz Bowyer
3. Be Bold (page 33) By Frederick Rosier, David Rosier
4. ORB of 43 Sqn RAF, December 1939 (available online at http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D8411979)
5. http://www.nelsam.org.uk/NEAR/Losses/Losses-WWII1939-40.htm
6. http://bbm.org.uk/Arbuthnot.htm
7. http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/showthread.php?t=23625
8. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Longframlington
9. http://www.maplandia.com/united-kingdom/england/north/northumberland-county/longframlington/
10. http://www.planetrace.co.uk/1930-1939_35.html
11. http://www.rafcommands.com/archive/10367.php
12. https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/ww2-hawker-hurricane-merlin-engine-512252282
13. http://www.planetrace.co.uk/1930-1939_35.html
14. http://www.bbm.org.uk/airmen/Arbuthnot.htm

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
02-Mar-2008 06:10	JINX	Added
04-Jan-2012 14:40	Nepa	Updated [Operator, Total occupants, Phase, Nature]
09-Aug-2013 01:00	JINX	Updated [Operator, Source]
24-Dec-2014 01:04	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Date, Registration, Operator, Total fatalities, Other fatalities, Location, Country, Phase, Departure airport, Source, Narrative]
06-Jun-2015 15:47	Angel dick one	Updated [Operator]
06-Dec-2015 08:34	Laurent Rizzotti	Updated [Source, Narrative]
11-May-2018 00:07	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Time, Source, Narrative]
11-May-2018 00:08	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Source]
23-Apr-2019 23:26	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Destination airport, Source, Narrative]
24-Feb-2020 11:38	Xindel XL	Updated [Operator, Operator]
12-Apr-2024 10:19	Nepa	Updated [Location, Operator]