Spitfire N3292 at Catterick airfield.
On 7th December 1940 this 54 Squadron aircraft stalled on take off from Catterick and crashed on or close to the airfield, it was later repaired.
Pilot - Sgt Charles Howard Squire RAF (968401), of Wallasey, Cheshire.
On 3rd October 1941 it was flown to 5 MU at Kemble. Here it began a series of transfers in a short period of time and why this happened is not known.
On 26th November 1941 it was taken on charge by 145 Squadron at Catterick but on 19th December 1941 it transferred to 134 Squadron also at Catterick.
On 28th December 1941 it transferred to 133 Squadron at Eglinton and then on 31st December 1941 it transferred back to 134 Squadron at Catterick. The following
day it moved with this unit to Eglinton but the next day it transferred to 133 Squadron at Kirton in Lindsey. On 12th April 1942 it transferred to 421 Squadron
at Digby, and on the same day to 601 Squadron also at Digby. Later in the month it transferred back to 421 Squadron still at Digby. On 21st May 1942 it was
flown to 38 MU at Llandow for storage. On 9th June 1942 it was declared Cat.B and repaired in works at Phillips & Powys at Woodley for repair.
On 8th September 1942 it transferred to F.A.A. and was flown to RNAS Yeovilton for storage. On 3rd April 1943 it was declared Cat.X damage and repaired on site.
After this date the details remain sketchy, in May 1943 it was taken on charge by 761 Squadron FAA at Henstridge and after November 1944 nothing more is known of the aircraft.
Sgt Howard Squire is also named as being the pilot of a possible incident at Catterick the day after this one to Spitfire R6898. Co-incidently R6898 crashed in the south of
England with 61 OTU exactly one year later and perhaps too much of a co-incidence and I suggest that this second incident did not occur at Catterick and the date has been confused.
Sgt Squire was also involved in the collision with Spitfire X4276 on 28th December 1940 over Kirklevington, Yorkshire when his Spitfire
X4650 crashed nearby after he baled out. He would later see the war out as a PoW having been shot down on 26th February 1941 flying Spitfire
P7443 escorting Blenheims to Calais.
Spitfire N3292 was built to contract 527113/36 by Vickers Armstrong's (Supermarine) Ltd, at Woolston and was first test flown on 16th January 1940, six days later it
was flown to 9 MU at Cosford for storage. On 15th March 1940 it was taken on charge by 234 Squadron at Leconfield but moved with the unit to Church Fenton on 22nd May 1940
and St.Eval on 18th June 1940. It was damaged on an operational flight on 23rd July 1940 with Cat.R being recorded and was taken to AST Ltd at Hamble for
repair in works on 29th July 1940. Following this repair it was flown to 9 MU at Cosford on 21st October 1940 then on 1st November 1940 it was
taken on charge by 54 Squadron at Catterick. The published records state that it suffered damage on 10th November 1940 (with Cat.M/FA damage recorded) but to me this seems unlikely as it was flying again the following morning. On 7th December 1940 it crashed on take off at Catterick and Cat.R/FA damage was recorded. It was again taken away to be
repaired in works by AST Ltd at Hamble on 16th Decemver 1940 but after repair it was flown to 8 MU at Little Rissington for storage on 19th
April 1941. On 7th June 1941 it was taken on charge by 57 OTU at Hawarden but on 2nd July 1941 the engine failed and it was belly landed and
slightly damaged, Cat.A(c)/FA was recorded and it was again repaired in works begining 23rd July 1941 again at AST Ltd, Hamble.