On 6th November 1936 this No.9 Flying Training School aeroplane bounced on landing at Thornaby airfield during a training flight and came to rest upside down. The pilot received minor injuries but recovered to pass the course five months later. The aeroplane was repaired.
Pilot - LAC George Herbert Hatch RAF (510966). Injured.
George Hatch would later serve with 64 Squadron. On 31st May 1940 he was flying Spitfire K9813 carrying out a patrol with other 64 Squadron aircraft off Dunkirk when they were engaged at 17.00 hrs by Bf109’s of 1/JG20 and Bf110’s of 5/ZG26. F/Sgt Hatch was shot down and captured, badly wounded. He was hospitalized at Enghien, Belgium but died of his injuries on 26th September 1940. He is buried in Enghien (Edingen) Communal Cemetery.
Fury K8219 was built to contract 419059/35 by General Aircraft Ltd at Hanworth and was delivered to No.9 F.T.S. on 24th July 1936. Following mishaps on 6th November 1936 (at Thornaby) and then on 8th February 1937 (at Barmby Moor) Cat.R/FA damage was the damage assessment each time and it was repaired on site both times. On 12th June 1937 it crashed into Divis Mountain near Belfast, Northern Ireland killing the then pilot who was flying it home on leave. This time the damage was deemed too severe to warrant a repair. Cat.W/FA damage was the damage assessment but the wreckage was recovered and taken to Aldergrove for assessment where it was finally struck off charge on 13th September 1937, probably only because the paperwork took time to catch up.
Back to yearly selection.