ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 150781
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| Date: | Sunday 28 September 1941 |
| Time: | day |
| Type: |  Supermarine Spitfire Mk Ia |
| Owner/operator: | 53 OTU RAF |
| Registration: | L1041 |
| MSN: | 256 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | RAF Llandow, South Glamorgan, Wales -
 United Kingdom
|
| Phase: | Landing |
| Nature: | Training |
| Departure airport: | RAF Llandow |
| RAF Llandow |
Spitfire L1041 was built to contract 527113/36 by Vickers Armstrong's (Supermarine) Ltd at Woolston and was first test flown on 30th June 1939. It was delivered to 41 Squadron at Catterick on 6th July 1939 and moved with the unit to Wick on 19th October 1939 and returned to Catterick six days later.
On 2nd December 1939 this aircraft was parked at Catterick when it was struck by Spitfire K9835.
The pilot of K9835 was
F/O Howard Peter Blatchford RCAF (37715), of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
Howard "Cowboy" Blatchford was born in Edmonton on Fabruary 1912, he joined the RAF and received his commission to the rank of Acting P/O on probation on 6th January 1937 and was with 41 Squadron when war broke out. He later joined 212 Sqaudron on 20th April 1940, 17 Squadron on 30th September 1940 and 257 Squadron on 4th October 1940 where he became commanding officer in July 1941. He was later posted to 412 Squadron and then to the Coltishall Wing rising to the rank of W/C. He was awared the DFC (Gazetted on 6th December 1940), the citation reads.."In November 1940 this officer was the leader of a squadron which destroyed eight and damaged a further five enemy aircraft in one day. In the course of the combat he rammed and damaged a hostile fighter when his ammunition was expended, and the made two determined head-on feint attacks on enemy fighters which drove them off. He has shown magnificent leadership and outstanding courage." He was also Mentioned in Despatches in January 1941. "Cowboy" Blatchford was lost on 3rd May 1943 escorting bombers to Holland, his aircraft, Spitfire EN971, was damaged by enemy aircraft and it is believed that he ditched the aircraft in the North Sea but his body was never found and he is commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial.
He became famous for being the first Canadian pilot to shot down an enemy aircraft in WW2 on 17th October 1939.
Both aircraft were damaged. Following this incident Cat.M/FA damage was recorded, it was repaired on site and returned to the unit. It then was transferred to 54 Squadron, also based at Catterick on 29th May 1940 when 41 Squadron moved down to Hornchurch and left the aircraft behind.
It moved with 54 Squadron down to Hornchurch on 4th June 1940, and then moved with the unit to Coltishall on 21st June 1940. It suffered Cat.R damage on 12th July 1940 (no details known). From here it was collected by 54 MU based at Cambridge (Salvage & Repair) on 8th August 1940 and transported to General Aircraft Ltd at Hanworth for repair on the same date.
On completion of the repair it went to 38 MU at Llandow (ASU) on 15th September 1940 and then issued to 222 Squadron at Hornchurch on 2nd October 1940, and moved with the unit to Coltishall on 11th November 1940. It transferred to 58 OTU at Grangemouth on 5th February 1941 and then to 45 MU at Kinloss 4th June 1941. It was sent to Scottish Aviation Ltd, at Greenock on 23rd June 1941 for work to be done to it.
On completion of this work it went to 12 MU at Kirkbride (ASU) on 19th August 1941 and was then issued to 53 OTU at Llandow on 27th August 1941. It was written off with Cat.W/FA damage sustained when the undercarriage was damaged in an attempted overshoot at Llandow and the pilot was forced to make a belly landing. On inspection it was declared beyond economic repair and struck off charge on 9th October 1941.
Crew:
Unknown.
Sources:
1. Air-Britain Royal Air Force Aircraft L1000-N9999
2. http://www.airhistory.org.uk/spitfire/p002.html
3. http://www.yorkshire-aircraft.co.uk/aircraft/yorkshire/york39/l1041.html
Images:
www.yorkshire-aircraft.co.uk
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 21-Nov-2012 01:48 | angels one five | Added |
| 21-Nov-2012 01:49 | angels one five | Updated [Narrative] |
| 19-Jul-2013 20:40 | JINX | Updated [Aircraft type, Operator, Location, Source] |
| 25-Sep-2013 00:35 | angels one five | Updated [Operator, Source] |
| 20-Jun-2015 09:07 | Angel dick one | Updated [Operator, Location, Destination airport] |
| 03-Oct-2018 22:18 | Dr.John Smith | Updated [Time, Operator, Location, Departure airport, Source, Narrative] |
| 02-Dec-2018 17:30 | Nepa | Updated [Time, Operator, Destination airport, Operator] |
| 10-Feb-2021 18:32 | angels one five | Updated [Location, Departure airport, Narrative] |
| 28-Sep-2021 11:53 | Davies 62 | Updated [Aircraft type, Narrative, Photo] |
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