Spitfire K9984 at Catfoss airfield.
At 10.50hrs on 7th March 1940 this 616 Squadron aircraft burst a tyre on take off from Catfoss, this caused the wing to drop and strike the ground causing minor damage.
Pilot - P/O W R MacPherson (probably P/O William Reddington MacPherson RAF).
William Reddington MacPherson received a commission to the rank of Acting P/O on probation on 9th July 1938 and was confirmed in his appointment and graded as P/O on 16th May 1939. He was posted in to 616 Squadron from West Freugh on 24th September 1939. Something major happened in his service after 7th March 1940 and before the Battle of Britain; he appears to have been dismissed from the RAF for some major issue. By January 1941 he was not an officer in the RAF as he does not feature in the Air Force List of that date. Someone of the same name then enlisted for service in the RAFVR between June and September 1941 with the service number 1579079. On 29th July 1944 William Reddington MacPherson RAFVR (1579079) was killed flying 61 Squadron Lancaster LM452 on an operational flight to bomb Stuttgart. He is buried in Choloy War Cemetery, France. I believe both men are one and the same.
Spitfire K9984 was built to contract 527113/36 by Vickers Armstrong's (Supermarine) Ltd at Woolston and first test flown on 19th May 1939. It was delivered to 611 Squadron at Speke on 22nd May 1939 and moved with the unit to Duxford on 13th August 1939. On 29th August 1939 it suffered engine failure and the pilot made a belly landing near Duxford. It sustained Cat.M/FA damage and was repaired on site and returned to the unit. It then moved north with the
unit up to Digby 10th October 1939. Nine days later it was hit by Blenheim L1265 whilst parked at Digby. Cat.M/FA damage was recorded
and again it was repaired on site and returned to the unit. It then transferred to 616 Squadron who were based at Leconfield on 9th
February 1940 but suffered the landing accident at Catfoss was detailed above while doing so. Cat.M/FA damage was recorded and it was
repaired on site and returned to the unit at Leconfield. On 7th March 1940 it suffered a burst tyre on take off from Catfoss causing the wing to strike the ground and sustained minor damage. Cat.M/FA was again the damage assessment and it was repaired on site. On 27th April 1940 it sustained a further accident, almost certainly at Leconfield, with Cat.R damage being the damage assessment. From here it was taken to AST Ltd at Hamble for repair on 2nd June 1940 and on
completion of repair it passed to 9 MU at Cosford on 30th June 1940 who then issued it to 7 OTU at Hawarden on 21st July 1940.
On 21st September 1940 it sustained unspecified Cat.R damage, presumably at or near to Hawarden. After assessment it was
Re-Cat.W and struck off charge on 5th October 1940.