Spitfire N3122 at Catterick airfield.
On 31st May 1940 this 54 Squadron aircraft overshot on landing at Catterick and ran over the A1 "Great North Road" into a field on the western side of the airfield. While there is no mention of this mishap in the 54 Squadron record books it does list the aircraft as being flown on this date, it took off at 14.40hrs to undertake a formation flying exercise with two other Spitfires, all three aircraft landed at 15.40hrs.
Pilot - P/O William Pelham Hopkin RAF (42606).
William Hopkin arrived at 54 Squadron in June 1940 and served with them during the first half of Battle of Britain with credits in damaging or destroying a number of enemy aeroplanes. He was posted to 602 Squadron in September 1940 and was involved in further combats. Postwar he served as Hon. Secretary of the Battle of Britain Fighter Association.
Spitfire N3122 was built to contract 527113/36 By Vickers Armstrong's (Supermarine) Ltd. at Woolston and was first test flown on 31st October 1939. It was delivered
to 6 MU at Brize Norton on 3rd November 1939 and then issued to 54 Squadron at Hornchurch on 17th December 1939. It then moved with unit up to Catterick on 28th May
1940 and following this landing accident detailed above Cat.R/FA damage was recorded. It was deemed too badly damaged to be repaired at Catterick so it was dismantled
and taken by road to AST Ltd. at Hamble for repair on 6th June 1940. On completion of these repairs it was issued to 64 Squadron at Leconfield. On 13th October 1940
it moved with unit down to Biggin Hill, on 15th October 1940 it moved with the unit to Coltishall, and on 10th November 1940 it moved with the unit to Hornchurch.
On 22nd January 1941 it transferred to 303 Squadron
at Northolt and on 16th July 1941 it moved with this unit to Speke and then on 7th October 1941 to Northolt. On 31st December 1941 it
transferred to 58 OTU at Grangemouth and in May 1942 was given converted into a ground instructional airframe and re-serial numbered as "M3077".
On 10th July 1944 it was transferred to 1 TEU at Tealing but on 1st August 1944 it was struck off charge and reduced to spares.