ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 158513
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| Date: | Monday 15 January 1945 |
| Time: | 17:30 |
| Type: |  Supermarine Spitfire Mk VIII |
| Owner/operator: | 152 (Hyderabad) Sqn RAF |
| Registration: | PA956 |
| MSN: | |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | Kan airstrip -
 Myanmar
|
| Phase: | Landing |
| Nature: | Ferry/positioning |
| Departure airport: | Kalemyo |
| Kan |
On 15 January 1945 the Spitfires of 152 Sqn RAF moved forward to the newly opened airstrip of Kan, north of Gangaw, in the Myittha valley. This airstrip had been carved from a clearing by bulldozers and was located very close of the Japanese positions in the area.
F/Lt PITCHFORD, who recently joined 152 Sqn, took off at 16:30 hrs from Kalemyo but crashed at 17:30 hrs on landing at Kan. His Spitfire VIII PA956 hit a bank on the right side of the strip and completed three somersaults. The pilot was quickly removed form the wreckage by an army officer and sent to the Casualty Clearing Station. He had a severe concussion and could not remember anything prior to the crash. It is not certain what caused the accident but a wheel was found in the middle of the strip and it is possible it came off on touch down. The damage to the aircraft was heavy: wings broke off, and the fuselage ended up on edge of runway. The Spitfire was damaged beyond repair and was struck off charge on 12 February.
Crew:
F/Lt (127912) Walter Douglas PITCHFORD (pilot) RAFVR : Ok
Sources:
http://www.rafcommands.com/database/serials/details.php?uniq=PA956
http://www.airhistory.org.uk/spitfire/p084.html
"Constant Vigilance: The RAF Regiment in the Burma Campaign", by Nigel W. M. Warwick. ISBN 978-1684415-500-2
"Air War for Burma", by Christopher Shores. ISBN 1-904010-95-4
https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/35750/supplement/4545/data.pdf
http://www.maplandia.com/burma/magwe/gangaw/kan/
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 18-Aug-2013 06:25 | JINX | Added |
| 05-Mar-2014 06:37 | Nepa | Updated [Operator] |
| 15-Jan-2016 17:08 | Laurent Rizzotti | Updated [Country] |
| 15-Dec-2018 09:11 | Laurent Rizzotti | Updated [Time, Total fatalities, Location, Nature, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative] |
| 05-Jul-2023 09:31 | Nepa | Updated [[Time, Total fatalities, Location, Nature, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative]] |
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