ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 349065
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| Date: | Monday 13 December 1943 |
| Time: | |
| Type: |  Supermarine Spitfire MkIX |
| Owner/operator: | 302 (Polish) RAF |
| Registration: | MH327 |
| MSN: | |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | Cadizhall Farm Reynoldston, Gower. -
 United Kingdom
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Training |
| Departure airport: | RAF Fairwood Common |
| Return. |
Details:
Another Castle Bromwich Spitfire and issued to the Royal Air Force at 32MU on the 26th of July 1943. She was to become the mount for Polish pilots of 316 squadron (arriving on the 14th of August 1943) then 302, on the 28th of September. MH327 was involved in her first operational sortie, piloted by P/O Jedliczko, on Ramrod 256 to St Omer on the 2nd of October 1943.
During the month of December, the squadron conducted Cini gun, Canon in both air to air and air to ground training. Unusually, instead of the squadron as a whole, being taken off Op’s, they stayed at RAF Northolt and one or two pilots would fly their Spitfire down to RAF Fairwood Common to conduct these drills. On the 13th of December Sgt Jaszczak along with one other, flew down to Fairwood.
Squadron Records:
“13-12-43. Weather – Fair, mild but cloudy. With a slight wind varying from the North and East.
After the daily lecture and assessment, 1 aircraft did A3 & A4 firing exercises and air to air firing. There was a flying accident in the afternoon. F/Sgt Jaszczak was forced to land in fields in the coastal area. Spitfire No. MH327 turned over. Afterwards pilot was lucky and was rescued by civilians. He was uninjured. Aircraft was Categorised ‘E’.
At 14:25 hours, an aircraft (F/Lt Miksa) took off for Northolt where it landed at 15:10 hours.
There were 27 non-operational sorties, totalling 17.05 hours.”
MH327 was heading for the ranges at Llangennith Burrows to conduct one of these exercises when its engine stalled, leaving the pilot no option other than to make a crash landing.
F/Sgt Jaszczak came down in fields belonging to Cadiz Hall Farm near Burry Green. He had intended to make the forced landing in a larger field over the other side of the road, but unfortunately, he overshot and ended up in a sloping field which became slightly steeper, the propeller nose spinner dug in, flipping the Spitfire over onto its back. Farm workers from the farm and other nearby dwellings ran to his aid and were able to lift the tail high enough to pull the pilot from the aircraft. After his rescue, he was driven back to Fairwood in the back of a Grocery van.
The accident investigation found that the engine failure was due to ‘Oiling up of its Magnetos’.
By the 22nd of December, the whole squadron had completed the training. As for Jaszczak, he had time off to recover, but took part in the third Ramrod Op (post training) this was Ramrod No.397 on the 30th of December.
Crew:
F/Sgt Mieczyslaw Jaszczak 28yo 783146 (Polish) RAF. Pilot. Safe.
Wreckage:
Nothing remains.
Additional Information:
Mieczyslaw saw out the war, gaining the rank of Warrant Officer.
Sources:
www.rafcommands.com
www.discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk
Fallen Flyers. Steven H. Jones.
https;//air-britain.com
GGAT- Military crash sites in South Wales.
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 24-Dec-2023 12:03 | Davies 62 | Added |
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