Spitfire N3108 at Catterick airfield.
Details regarding this incident at vague but on 14th May 1940 this 41 Squadron aircraft crashed onto Catterick airfield with no injuries being reported. The aircraft was later repaired.
Pilot - P/O John Noble MacKenzie RAF (40547), of Otago, New Zealand.
John Mackenzie was the grandson of a former Prime Minister of New Zealand and was born in Goodwood, Otago in August 1914. Having joined the RAF in 1937 he was posted to the UK
and joined 41 Squadron in September 1939. P/O MacKenzie had already slightly damaged Spitfire K9890 on landing at Catterick on the 24th November 1939 and later during the Battle
of Britain he scored a number of victories and sustained damage to his aircraft as a result. He was awarded the DFC in November 1940 for his actions in the Battle of Britain. He
later became a flight commander with 41 Squadron and flew 245 operational sorties with them before being posted out to Singapore to join 488 Squadron. He later returned to New
Zealand and commanded 14 (RNZAF) Squadron but, in 1943, he returned to the UK and was posted to 61 OTU and later commanded 64 Squadron. He retired in 1957 and died in 1993.
Spitfire N3108 was built to contract 527113/36 by Vickers Armstrong's (Supermarine) Ltd. at Woolston and was first test flown on 21st January 1939, it was then delivered to 24 MU at Ternhill on 23rd October 1939 who then issued it to 41 Squadron at Catterick. In the published records on the aircraft they state the date it arrived at 41 Squadron was on 22nd March 1940 but this is not correct as it was being used operationally by them earlier in March 1940. Following the mishap at Catterick detailed above in April 1940 Cat.R(B)/FA was recorded and the aircraft was repaired on site but remained at Catterick when 41 Squadron left Catterick on 28th May 1940 for a spell at Hornchurch. 41 Squadron returned to Catterick on 8th June 1940 and N3108 was reunited with it's unit. It then moved with 41 Squadron back to Hornchurch on 26th July 1940 and back to Catterick on 8th August 1940, and back with the unit to Hornchurch 3rd September 1940. Although details regarding a second accident are not yet known it muct have suffered some major Cat.R damage prior to 20th September 1940 as it was transported to AST Ltd. at Hamble for repair on this date. On completion of these repairs it was flown to 24 MU at Ternhill on 8th October 1040 who then issued it to 64 Squadron at Coltishall on 24th October 1940. It then moved with the unit to Hornchurch on 10th November 1940 but was transferred to 303 Squadron at Northolt on 22nd January 1941. On 25th February 1941 it sustained Cat.B/FB damaged when it was hit by fire from a Bf109, the pilot was able to return safely to Hornchurch. Three days later it was sent to AST Ltd at Hamble for repair and on completion of these repairs on 7th April 1941 it was flown to 33 MU at Lyneham and then issued to RAE Farnborough for gunnery and aileron trials on 17th April 1941. On 22nd June 1941 it sustained Cat.B/FA damage when the engine cut on approach to land at Farnborough and the aircraft undershot the runway and overturned. Again it was transported to AST Ltd. at Hamble on 27th June 1941 for repair but after assessment it was Re-Cat.E and struck off charge on 2nd July 1941.