ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 90981
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| Date: | Monday 15 September 1941 |
| Time: | day |
| Type: |  Supermarine Spitfire Mk I |
| Owner/operator: | 53 OTU RAF |
| Registration: | N3178 |
| MSN: | 421 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | Near RAF Llandow, Glamorgan, Wales -
 United Kingdom
|
| Phase: | Landing |
| Nature: | Training |
| Departure airport: | |
| RAF Llandow, South Glamorgan |
This particular Spitfire had an interesting history, she first flew on the 15th November 1939 and fitted out at 8MU on the 20th November 1939. Her first posting was to 266 Squadron on the 15th February 1940 and carried the radio codes 'UO-K'.
The squadron was reformed on 30 October 1939 at RAF Sutton Bridge as a fighter squadron. The squadron was one of the Rhodesian gift squadrons and was named 266 (Rhodesia) Squadron in honour of the gift. Originally it was equipped with the Fairey Battle light bomber, but soon after in January 1940 it received the Supermarine Spitfire and became a fighter squadron. It was in action over Dunkirk in early June and fought in the Battle of Britain.
Tuesday 13th August 1940.
FIGHTER COMMAND SECTOR STATIONS AT THIS TIME AND WERE BROUGHT TO READINESS.
WEATHER: Early morning low cloud base, rain easing during morning but clearing to a fine day with lengthy sunny periods by afternoon.
0702hrs: The call went out. With a definite report "Raid 45 is bombing the Eastchurch drome." Park released 111 Squadron Croydon (Hurricanes) and vectored them towards Sheppy.
By this time, 74 Squadron had located the Dorniers between Whitstable and Margate and managed to dive in to attack the rearward section of the enemy formation. A number of Dorniers peeled off and trued to get back into the cloud cover. The forward section of the German formation continued and completed their bombing attack on Eastchurch believing it to be one of Fighter Commands stations. Considerable damage was done. Two hangars were severely damaged. The operations room received a direct hit, and a number of Blenheims of 35 Squadron Coastal Command were destroyed. German records state that 10 Spitfires had been destroyed that were at Eastchurch, but RAF records indicate that only one was damaged and that it was able to be repaired. (266 Squadron [Spitfires] had been using Eastchurch at the time).
Before the dust had settled, Eastchurch had more unwelcome guests in the shape of Messerschmitt Me109's of 3 Staffel Jagdgeschwader 52. This shock raid by the fighters succeeded in damaging more aircraft on the ground one of which was N3178.
Repaired, N3178 went to 66 Squadron on the 15th October 1940 and a month later to 64 Squadron on the 27th November 1940.
On the 29th November N3178 suffered catagory 2 damage on ops. It is not known if this was from enemy action or an accident, but she was repaired wirh 1CRU. Then finally she came to 53 OTU on the 25th August 1941. Her final incident happened on the 15th September 1941 when she had to be force-landed near Llandow while on approach. After this N3178 never flew again and became an Instructional airframe.
Crew:
Not known,safe.
Sources:
Spitfire production list
www.airhistory.org.uk
Sheppy.blogspot.com
www.battleofbritain.net
www.clavework-graphics.co.uk
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 22-Nov-2011 23:16 | angels one five | Updated [Date, Aircraft type, Registration, Cn, Operator, Total fatalities, Total occupants, Other fatalities, Country, Phase, Nature, Source, Narrative] |
| 22-Nov-2011 23:32 | angels one five | Updated [[Date, Aircraft type, Registration, Cn, Operator, Total fatalities, Total occupants, Other fatalities, Country, Phase, Nature, Source, Narrative]] |
| 28-Dec-2011 06:42 | Nepa | Updated [Aircraft type, Operator, Departure airport] |
| 23-Jan-2012 02:21 | angels one five | Updated [Aircraft type, Narrative] |
| 09-Nov-2012 10:49 | angels one five | Updated [Aircraft type, Registration, Cn, Operator, Location, Phase, Source, Narrative] |
| 20-Jun-2015 09:05 | Angel dick one | Updated [Operator, Location, Destination airport, Narrative] |
| 12-Feb-2021 05:15 | angels one five | Updated [Time, Total fatalities, Other fatalities, Location, Source] |
| 16-Sep-2021 07:09 | Davies 62 | Updated [Source, Narrative] |
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