ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 224462
This information is added by users of ASN. Neither ASN nor the Flight Safety Foundation are responsible for the completeness or correctness of this information.
If you feel this information is incomplete or incorrect, you can submit corrected information.
| Date: | Saturday 2 May 1942 |
| Time: | day |
| Type: |  Supermarine Spitfire Mk Vb |
| Owner/operator: | 312 Sqn RAF |
| Registration: | BL231 |
| MSN: | |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1 |
| Other fatalities: | 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | Furzeland Farm, near Lunnon, Ilston, North Gower, Wales -
 United Kingdom
|
| Phase: | Take off |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | RAF Fairwood Common, West Glamorgan |
| RAF Fairwood Common |
Delivered to the RAF at 9 MU RAF Cosford 23-11-41. Issued to 312 (Czech) Squadron RAF 7-12-41 (as "DU-B"). Minor damage and repaired on site 11-12-41. Written off (damaged beyond repair) 2-5-42 when Collided with Spitfire BL470 near Fairwood Common cutting the tail off the other aircraft. Its wooden propeller lost, the pilot was forced to glide the aircraft down to a forced landing in a field at Furzeland Farm, near Lunnon, Ilston, North Gower. Aircraft salvaged, apart from the compass, which remained on the farm.
Despite severe head injuries, the pilot of BL231, Sgt Frantisek Vaculik survived. (He later volunteered for service in the Soviet Union and became a member of the 1st Czech Fighter Regiment). The pilot of the second aircraft, Spitfire BL470, Sgt Josef Janeba, attempted to bail out, but he was too low, his chute did not deploy and he was killed.
SOC 2-5-42; total Flying Hours 63.46
Sources:
1. Fallen Flyers: Tragedy in the Skies Over Wartime Gower (Wartime Record) Bryngold Books Ltd; First edition (1 May 2005) by Steven H. Jones
2. http://www.ggat.org.uk/timeline/pdf/Military%20Aircraft%20Crash%20Sites%20in%20Southeast%20Wales.pdf
3. http://www.airhistory.org.uk/spitfire/p023.html
4. https://fcafa.com/2012/09/19/spitfire-aircraft-of-310-sqn-312-sqn-and-313-sqn/
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 29-Apr-2019 01:15 | Dr. John Smith | Added |
| 29-Apr-2019 08:28 | stehlik49 | Updated [Operator] |
| 24-Jul-2019 17:36 | Nepa | Updated [Operator, Location, Departure airport, Destination airport, Operator] |
| 13-Aug-2020 15:16 | soucek56 | Updated [Aircraft type, Operator] |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
The Aviation Safety Network is an exclusive service provided by:
Quick Links:
| ASN Home | Send Correction / Feedback |
| FSF Home | Disclaimer | Copyright |
| Contact Us | Privacy Policy |
| Press / Media |
CONNECT WITH US:
©2024 Flight Safety Foundation