Spitfire K9847 at Catterick airfield.
On 12th January 1940 this 41 Squadron aircraft tipped up onto the nose on landing at Catterick after the pilot braked too hard at the end
of his landing run. The aircraft was later repaired but damaged again later in the year near Church Fenton.
Pilot - P/O Ronald Walter Wallens RAF (79708). Uninjured.
Ronald "Wally" Wallens was born Stourbridge, Worcestershire in 1916. He joined the RAFO having been granted a short service commission as Acting P/O on probation in Summer 1937. After completing pilot training he was posted to 41 Squadron on 26th March 1938 and was granted a commission in the RAF on 7th October 1938 as P/O rising to F/O on 7th July 1940 and to F/Lt exactly a year later. On 6th September 1940 he sustained injuries in combat with a Bf109, he rejoined 41 Squadron after hospital treatment but his commanding officer rejected him as he was not fully fit. He later commanded No.1 ADF and was promoted to S/Ldr on 1st July 1943 and was posted to Command 277 (ASR) Squadron in late 1943. For service with this unit he was awarded the DFC (Gazetted on 15th August 1944), the citation for the award reads.. "In the early phases of the war, Squadron Leader Wallens took part in a large number of sorties during which he destroyed at least 4 enemy aircraft. In combat in September 1940 he was wounded in the leg by a cannon shell. Since his return to operational duties he has undertaken many air/sea sorties and has been responsible for saving a number of personnel from the sea. He has set a splendid example of gallentry and devotion to duty." He survived the War and wrote his autobiography "Flying Made My Arms Ache". He died in November 1995.
He was one of three pilots that shot down a Junkers Ju88 on the North Yorkshire Moors on 11th August 1940 detailed on this website.
Spitfire K9847 was built to contract 527113/36 by Vickers Armstrong's (Supermarine) Ltd at Woolston and was first test flown on 16th
January 1939. It was delivered to 41 Squadron at Catterick on 22nd January 1939 and moved with this unit to Wick on 10th October
1939 and then back to Catterick with 41 Squadron on 25th October 1939. Following the incident detailed above Cat.M/FA damage was recorded
and it was repaired on site and returned to the unit. It then transferred to 64 Squadron at Church Fenton on 11th March 1940 and suffered
Cat.R/FA damage on 23rd April 1940 when a tyre burst on take off at Church Fenton and made a belly landing on return. From here it went
to Air Service Training Ltd, at Hamble on 4th May 1940 for repair. On completion of repair it went to 12 MU at Kirkbride (ASU)
on 2nd August 1940 and issued to 72 Squadron at Croydon on 2nd September 1940. It moved with this unit to Biggin Hill on 14th September 1940 and
suffered a further Cat.R/FA mishap on 8th October 1940 when the engine cut and the then pilot made a forced landing at Halstead, Kent.
Again it was transported to AST Ltd, at Hamble on 12th October 1940. On completion of this repair it went to 39 MU at
Colerne (ASU) who issued it to 57 OTU at Hawarden on 21st February 1941 as an 'operational' ground instructional airframe
(an operational aircraft which can be called back into service at any time). From here it is believed to have been
transferred to RAE Farnborough on 8th April 1941 where it remained until officially converted to a ground instruction
airframe on 23rd June 1943 but its registration "M" number is not yet known.