Spitfire K9890 at Catterick airfield.
On the 24th of November 1939 this aircraft hit a bump on landing at Catterick causing a flare
to drop from its tube, it bounced back to the aircraft and peirced the fuselage and damaged the aircraft slightly which caught fire. It was repaired.
Pilot - P/O John N MacKenzie RAF (40547), of Goodwood, Otago, New Zealand. Uninjured.
John MacKenzie was later to serve with distinction in the Battle of Britain destroying many enemy aircraft.
He later damaged a Spitfire at Catterick in May 1940, detailed on this website. He was awarded the DFC in November
1940.
Spitfire K9890 was built to contract 527113/36 by Vickers Armstrongs (Supermarine) Ltd at Woolston and first flew on 28th January 1939. It was delivered to 41 Squadron at Catterick on 4th Febraury 1939 and moved with unit to Wick on 19th October
1939. It returned to Catterick with the unit on 25th October 1939. Following this mishap Cat.R/FA damage was recorded and it was sent away for repair in works. It was dismantled and transported to 4 MU at Ruislip on 16th December 1939 for repair.
On completion of repair it was sent to 9 MU at Cosford (ASU) on 13th May 1940 and then issued to 249 Squadron at Leconfield on 4th June 1940 but may have never got there as it was flown to 12 MU at Kirkbride (ASU) on 12th June 1940.
It was then issued to 602 Squadron at Drem on 13th July 1940 and then transferred back to 41 Squadron at Catterick on 21st July 1940. 41 Squadron moved with unit to Hornchurch 26th July 1940 and it went with them and returned
to Catterick 8th August 1940. It again moved with unit to Hornchurch 3rd September 1940. It then transferred to 603 Squadron also based at Hornchurch on 20th September 1940. It suffered a Cat. M(c) mishap on 23rd September 1940 and was
transported to Air Service Training Ltd (AST) at Hamble for repair on 7th October 1940. On completion of this repair it was sent to 8 MU at Little Rissington (ASU) on 22nd November 1940 and then issued to 57 OTU at Hawarden on 27th December 1940.
It was lost after it ran out of fuel and the then pilot landed on a sand bank in the Mersey Estuary off Hooton Park on 1st February 1941 and Cat W/FA damage was recorded.