Spitfire N3196 at Catterick airfield.
On 26th April 1940 this 41 Squadron aircraft was in the process of landing at Catterick airfield at dusk but the flare path lighting was not light nor the glide path indicators were not in operation. The aircraft clipped the steel battery box of a landing approach indicator which burst the tyre, on touching down the aircraft overturned. The pilot escaped injury. These details were kindly supplied to this webpage by the pilot's son referring to what was written in his log book.
In the book "One of the Few" by former 41 Squadron pilot, Ted Shipman makes mention to this flying accident at Catterick which states.."One evening at dusk, when I was leading Green Section home from Greatham, my Number Two, Sgt Howitt (a Grantham lad) had the misfortune to strike the landing approach indicator with his undercarriage as he landed. He turned over but fortunately was not hurt; however his machine needed some attention!”
Pilot - Sgt Isaac Edward Howitt RAF (580341), of Grantham.
Isaac Howitt was born in December 1911 in Grantham, he joined the RAF around September 1936 as a trainee pilot. After training he was posted to 41 Squadron in August 1937. He received a commission in October 1941 and survived the War having risen to F/Lt. He died in Toronto, Ontario, Canada on 3rd August 2004. I thank his son Brian for kindly contacting me in September 2017, for updating this webpage and for the photograph shown above.
Spitfire N3196 was built to contract 527113/36 by Vickers Armstrong's (Supermarine) Ltd at Woolston and first test flown on 27th November 1939. It was
delivered to 27 MU (ASU) at Shawbury on 2nd January 1940 and issued to 41 Squadron at Catterick on 14th April 1940. It sustained Cat.R/FA damage in the incident detailed above and
after inspection by 60 MU it was dismantled and transported to AST Ltd at Hamble on 5th May 1940 for repair. On completion of the repair on 26th August 1940 it was
flown to 9 MU at Cosford and then issued to 603 Squadron at Hornchurch on 3rd September 1940 for use during the Battle of Britain. on 7th September 1940 it was
shot down by a Bf109 and force landed at Sutton Valence with the pilot being uninjured but Cat.R/FB was sustained and it again was sent to AST Ltd at
Hamble for repair three days later. On completion of the repairs it was flown to 39 MU at Colerne (ASU) on 8th February 1941 and then issued to 57 OTU at
Hawarden on 7th August 1941. It then went back to AST Ltd at Hamble for unspecified reasons on 2nd January 1942 and was awaiting collection on 16th May
1942 to be then flown to 38 MU at Llandow on 3rd June 1942 and issue to 57 OTU at Hawarden on 4th September 1942. It moved with this unit to Eshott on 10th November 1942 but on
8th December 1942 it suffered unspecified Cat.A(c)/FA damage at Eshott and was then repaired on site and returned to the unit on 12th December. On 9th April 1943 it
dived into the ground at Shotley Bridge, Northumberland killing the pilot. Cat.E2/FA damage being sustained and it was written off.