Date:	Thursday 31 July 1947
Time:	day
Type:	Supermarine Spitfire F Mk 21
Owner/operator:	602 (City of Glasgow) Sqn RAF
Registration:	LA211
MSN:	SMAF4355.
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	Irish Sea near Fleetwood, Lancashire -   United Kingdom
Phase:	En route
Nature:	Training
Departure airport:	RAF Shawbury, Shropshire
Destination airport:	RAF Abbotsinch, Renfrewshire
Confidence Rating:	Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources

Narrative:
LA211: Spitfire F.21, MSN SMAF4355. Built by Vickers Armstrong (Supermarine) at South Marston, Swindon, Wiltshire with Griffon G61 engine. Test flown by Flt/Lt Johnson (Vickers Armstrong South Marston) for 25 minutes on 29-11-44 (possibly first flight). Delivered to VA HPA (Vickers Armstrong High Post Airfield) by 1st/Off Curtis ATA (Air Transport Auxiliary) 5-12-44. Retained for trials of metal elevators installed at High Post Airfield 1-45. To A&AEE Boscombe Down, Wiltshire 26-2-45 for weights and Centre of Gravity loads intensive flying trials. Cat. B accident 27-2-45. Modifications to interim stage with tail unit and installation of fin and rudder from Spitfire PP139 (Spitfire F.21 prototype) 3-45, followed by navigation trials with special compass replacing normal P8 compass 5-45. To 39MU RAF High Ercall, Shropshire 23-5-45. To 1 Squadron 26-7-45. To 122 Squadron 14-2-46; After the end of the war 122 Squadron was re-equipped with the Spitfire F21 but was disbanded at RAF Dalcross on 1-4-46 when it was renumbered 41 Squadron. Presumed stored from April 1946 until issued to 602 (City of Glasgow) Squadron, RAF Abbotsinch, Renfrewshire 9-6-46.

On 31-7-47, Ivor Reid took off in Spitfire LA211 from RAF Shawbury, Shropshire when his 'usual' Spitfire had been borrowed by another member of the squadron to fly to a wedding, as it had just been serviced. He flew LA211 out over the Irish Sea on an air-to-air firing exercise.

The Spitfire was seen to lose altitude and crash into the Irish Sea off Fleetwood, Lancashire following engine failure. The pilot attempted to ditch the Spitfire, but was believed to have been killed while trying to do this. A forearm washed up on the coast a few weeks later was identified as the pilot by the signet ring on the finger, which had unique and personal inscriptions on it. The forearm was all that was recovered of the body of the pilot.

Crew of Spitfire LA211:
Flying Officer (91253) Robert Ivor Reid RAFVR (Pilot, aged 29) - killed in a flying accident 31-7-47. R.I.P.

As noted above, there was not enough of his body to be recovered for a formal burial. However, he is commemorated at Christ Church Churchyard, Thornton Cleveleys, Lancashire.

1. Glasgow's Own - 602 City of Glasgow Squadron RAux.AF and also as related by Ivor Reid's sister.
2. Halley, James (1999). Broken Wings – Post-War Royal Air Force Accidents.
3. Final Landings: A Summary of RAF Aircraft and Combat Losses 1946 to 1949.
4. 602 Sqn RAF ORB for the period 1-6-46 to 28-2-57: National Archives (PRO Kew) File AIR27/2505: https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C2505143
5. "RAF Write offs 1947": Air Britain Aeromilitaria No. 1978: https://air-britain.com/pdfs/aeromilitaria/Aeromilitaria_1978.pdf
6. http://www.south-lancs-aviation.bravepages.com/Woodvale%20Incidents.htm
7. http://www.spitfires.ukf.net/p053.htm
8. https://allspitfirepilots.org/aircraft/LA211
9. https://www.rafcommands.com/database/serials/details.php?uniq=LA211
10. https://www.avialogs.com/spitfire-and-seafire-registry/item/79423-la211
11. https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2700778/robert-ivor-reid/
12. https://www.rafcommands.com/database/wardead/details.php?qnum=37890
13. https://rauxaf.org/features-roll-of-honour-names-m-to-r/
14. https://www.ancientfaces.com/person/robert-ivor-reid-birth-1917-death-1947/164774003
15. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._1_Squadron_RAF#Second_World_War
16. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._122_Squadron_RAF
17. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._602_Squadron_RAF#Post-war
18. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fleetwood

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
14-May-2010 09:55	maxhurtz	Added
17-May-2010 04:10	Anon.	Updated [Operator, Source, Narrative]
10-Mar-2011 02:47	angels one five	Updated [Registration, Cn, Operator, Source]
27-Dec-2011 03:05	Nepa	Updated [Aircraft type, Registration, Operator, Location, Nature, Source]
28-Dec-2011 12:48	Nepa	Updated [Operator, Source]
26-Apr-2013 08:17	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Location, Phase, Source, Narrative]
06-May-2013 02:59	angels one five	Updated [Date, Aircraft type, Operator, Nature, Source, Narrative]
27-Mar-2015 18:10	Jixon	Updated [Aircraft type, Operator, Departure airport]
05-Nov-2019 17:20	Nepa	Updated [Operator, Operator]
11-May-2023 21:46	Dr. John Smith	Updated [[Operator, Operator]]
13-May-2023 17:02	Dr. John Smith	Updated [[[Operator, Operator]]]
30-Aug-2023 01:24	Dr. John Smith	Updated [[[[Operator, Operator]]]]