ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 278485
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| Date: | Saturday 30 May 1942 |
| Time: | 20:30 |
| Type: |  Supermarine Spitfire MkVb |
| Owner/operator: | 421 (Red Indian) Sqn RCAF |
| Registration: | AB963 |
| MSN: | |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | RAF Fairwood Common, Swansea, Glamorgan, Wales -
 United Kingdom
|
| Phase: | Landing |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | RAF Fairwood Common, South Glamorgan |
| RAF Fairwood Common |
Details:
Issued to 12MU on the 7th of September 1941. Her first squadron was No. 403 on the 12th of September and carried the radio codes ‘KH-E’, on the 27th of September, AB963 was being flown on ‘Circus103B’ by Sgt H. D. McDonald but it appears that he was wounded, and the Spitfire sustained damage on route and had to return.
AB963 spent a short spell with 402 squadron RCAF before coming to 421 on the 8th of May 1942.
Initially established at RAF Digby in April 1942 with the Spitfire MkVa, the squadron moving to RAF Fairwood Common in May and received Spitfire MkVb.
The squadron's motto was Bellicum cecinere ("They have sounded the war trumpet"). Its badge was, in front of two tomahawks in saltire, a Red Indian warrior.
Fairwood Common was, along with RAF Pembrey, were part of No.10 group and 421 were stationed there on and off between May the 3rd and October the 14th.
On the 27th of May ‘A’ section was conducting close line astern formation flying above the clouds, and upon coming down below, the air was very bumpy. Sgt McGarva (Covered last week) was flying in BL929 behind Sgt Goodwin in AD186 when they touched and McGarva cut off Sgt Goodwins tail wheel. On the 30th of May, the squadron were conducting their first operational sortie with convoy patrols. Sgt Goodwin was flying AB963. At around 20:30 hours and flying for an hour and forty minutes, Sgt Goodwin had exhausted his fuel and had to return to station. After landing, his fuel was totally gone and his engine stopped, without power to taxi he had to guide the Spitfire to a stop but hit an obstacle (Turned out to be building machinery as the airfield was still under finishing touches). The aircraft came off the worst and dropped hard after the undercarriage collapsed, Sgt Goodwin suffered mild concussion, AB963 was SOC on the 7th of June that year.
Sgt Goodwin along with three other officers volunteered for overseas posting left the squadron on the 20th of October.
Crew:
Sgt D. W. Goodwin (pilot) RCAF. Safe. (No further details).
Wreckage:
All removed.
Sources:
nationalarchives.gov.uk
www.rafassociation.ca
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 30-May-2022 06:11 | Davies 62 | Added |
| 16-Jun-2023 20:22 | Nepa | Updated |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
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