ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 281163
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| Date: | Sunday 23 April 1944 |
| Time: | c. 17:30 |
| Type: |  Supermarine Spitfire Mk VII |
| Owner/operator: | 131 (County of Kent) Sqn RAF |
| Registration: | MB935 |
| MSN: | EA |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Aircraft missing |
| Location: | About 30 miles southeast of Bolt Head, Devon, England -
 United Kingdom
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | RAF Harrowbeer, Devon |
| RAF Harrowbeer |
A section of two Spitfires took off from RAF Harrowbeer, Devon, at 1700 hours on 23/4/1944 to carry out a routine patrol of the coast near Bolt Head.
The aircraft were flying at 1,600 feet and above a 10/10 layer of cloud 25 miles from the land when they were called on the R/T by the Controller and ordered to investigate a radar return five miles ahead of them and at low level.
The Section Leader instructed his No.2 to remain above the cloud while he went down to check out the radar blip. Nothing could be found and the Section Leader climbed back up through the clag to join his wingman. However, Spitfire MB935 could not be seen and did not reply to radio calls and, as it was impracticable to carry out an air search due to the weather, the leader returned to base alone.
A surface ASR launch search was carried out that evening without success. The next day the meteorological conditions were still too bad for an air search.
The missing Spitfire is believed to have crashed in the sea about 30 miles from Bolt Head.
Warrant Officer Douglas Frederick Phillips RAAF is commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial.
R.I.P.
Sources:
Spitfire production list
RAFWeb Casualties 1944
RAAF personnel missing while serving with the RAF
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 06-Aug-2022 10:11 | angels one five | Added |
| 06-Aug-2022 11:20 | angels one five | Updated [Registration, Narrative] |
| 06-Aug-2022 18:06 | angels one five | Updated [Narrative] |
| 09-Aug-2022 00:53 | angels one five | Updated [Time, Country, Narrative] |
| 09-Aug-2022 00:56 | angels one five | Updated [Country] |
| 25-Aug-2022 09:42 | angels one five | Updated [Narrative] |
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