On 22nd November 1942 the pilot of this 316 Squadron aircraft was carrying out a night flying training flight when it collided with Beaufighter EL394 over the Lissett area. Both aircraft crashed in the Barmston area at 21.50hrs and both pilots were killed.
Spitfire BL246 was built to contract B.981687/39 by Vickers Armstrong's Ltd, at Castle Bromwich and was delivered to 9 MU at Cosford on 11th April 1942. It was taken on charge by 316 Squadron on 5th June 1942 who were based at Heston at that time, as a result of minor damage sustained on 11th June 1942 Cat.A(c)/FA damage was recorded and a probable repair on site at Heston would have resulted. 316 Squadron moved to Hutton Cranswick on 30th July 1942 and the aircraft made the trip north. It was destroyed in the crash at Barmston on 22nd November 1942 with Cat.E2/FA damage recorded. It had flown a total of 180 hours.
Both crash sites have been dug in recent years by Messers Donald Bemrose, Max Elliott, Martin Thompson and Bernard Jordan, they recovered a complete and intact Merlin engine from this site in 2007. The last that was made public was that Max Elliott was dismantling the engine with the aim of re-building it to be able to run.
Pilot - Kpl Tadeusz Orzechowski PAF (P/783097), aged 21. Buried Driffield Cemetery, Yorkshire.
Tadeusz Orzechowski and his grave in Driffield Cemetery.