ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 153396
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| Date: | Wednesday 21 May 1941 |
| Time: | day |
| Type: |  Supermarine Spitfire Mk IIa |
| Owner/operator: | 609 (West Riding) Sqn RAF |
| Registration: | P7436 |
| MSN: | |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | The Channel, between North Foreland and Gravelines -
 United Kingdom
|
| Phase: | Combat |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | RAF Biggin Hill, Kent |
| RAF Biggin Hill |
Catastrophic structural failure in flight.
The Biggin Hill Wing was taking part in Circus No.10 by providing withdrawal support to Blenheim bombers returning after striking an oil refinery at Bethune.
German fighters were sighted and 609 Squadron dived to attack. During the dive F/L John Bisdee glanced into his rear-view mirror and saw the Spitfire of his No. 2, P/O de Grunne, disintegrating in the air and a parachute deploying.
Spitfires followed the parachute down but soon had to depart owing to shortage of fuel.
An ASR search was carried out but the pilot was never found.
Pilot:
Pilot Officer Count Rudolphe Ghislain Charles De Hemricourt De Grunne.
R.I.P.
Sources:
'Fighter Pilot's Summer' by Wing Commander Paul Richey with Norman Franks.
RAF Casualties-1941
Spitfire production list
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 21-Feb-2013 01:09 | angels one five | Added |
| 21-Feb-2013 13:49 | angels one five | Updated [Narrative] |
| 02-Jun-2013 18:07 | Nepa | Updated [Aircraft type, Operator] |
| 28-Aug-2013 09:07 | angels one five | Updated [Operator, Narrative] |
| 01-Jun-2015 14:42 | Opietz | Updated [Operator, Departure airport] |
| 01-Feb-2020 13:13 | stehlik49 | Updated [Narrative, Operator] |
| 25-Jan-2021 02:34 | angels one five | Updated [Time, Source, Narrative] |
| 20-Apr-2021 21:45 | angels one five | Updated [Narrative] |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
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