Spitfire P9334 at Catterick airfield.
At 15.15hrs on 22nd July 1940 this 41 Squadron aircraft was landing at Catterick airfield when it stalled from 30 feet and hit the ground hard, this caused the undercarriage to collapse.
Pilot - Sgt Edward Vivian Darling RAFVR (740608).
Spitfire P9334 was built to contract B.980385/39 by Vickers Armstrong's (Supermarine) Ltd. at Eastleigh and was first test flown on 9th February 1940. There was probably a problem with it as it not issued to a squadron but was flown to 27 M.U. at Lichfield on 1st March 1940, remaining in storage there until 1st June 1940 when it was taken on charge by 41 Squadron at Hornchurch. 41 Squadron moved to Catterick on 8th June 1940. On 22nd July 1940 the undercarriage collapsed at Catterick, Cat.R/FA damage was the initial damage assessment but on 28th July 1940 it was re-assessed as being beyond repair at Catterick and in need of a repair in works. On 29th July 1940 it was taken by road to General Aircraft Ltd. at Hanworth. The repair took some time but the Battle of Britain was on going with many aeroplanes to repair. The repair was complete by 30th April 1941 and on this date it was flown to 6 M.U. at Brize Norton. On 11th June 1941 it was taken on charge by 122 Squadron at Turnhouse who later moved to Ouston on 26th June 1941 and Catterick on 31st August 1941. On 21st September 1941 the undercarriage collapased on landing at Catterick. Cat.A/FA damage was repaired on site by a team from Vickers with work commencing on 24th September 1941. On 8th November 1941 122 Squadron moved to Scorton. On 31st December 1941 the aircraft was transferred to 57 O.T.U. at Hawarden. On 28th June 1942 it force landed at Lane End, Malpass, Cheshire sustaining Cat.B/FA damage. On 14th July 1942 it was taken by road to AST Ltd. at Hamble for a repair in works. The repair was complete by 12th September 1942 when it was awaiting collection. On 12th September 1942 it was flown to 39 M.U. at Colerne. On 22nd September 1942 it was flown to 76 M.U. (Packing Depot) at Wroughton. On 9th October 1942 it was at Newport Docks and on 21st October 1942 it embarked on board SS City of Evansville for North Africa. On 23rd December 1942 it arrived at Port Sudan and on 31st December 1942 it was taken on charge by Middle East Command, HQ at Cairo. On 17th February 1943 it was taken on charge by 73 O.T.U. at Abu Sueir. Nothing more of the aircraft is known until it was struck off charge on 27th July 1944.
Edward Darling flew many operational sorties during the Battle of Britain. On 11th August 1940 Darling shared a credit with the destruction of a Ju88, on 6th September 1940 he claimed a Bf109 as a probable destruction, on 9th September 1940 he claimed two Bf109's as destroyed, on 15th September 1940 he claimed a HeIII as destroyed and a Do17 as damaged, on 18th September 1940 he claimed a Bf109 as destroyed and a Ju88 as damaged and on 23rd September 1940 he claimed a Bf109 as damaged. On 24th September 1940 he was shot down in Spitfire R6604 during combat with Bf109's off Dover and managed to crash landed near Dover without injury. On 27th September 1940 he was shot down in Spitfire X4409 over West Malling during combat with Bf109's, baling out he survived but injuried his shoulder. On 2nd June 1942 F/Lt Darling was killed in action with 403 Squadron when Spitfire AR389 was shot down in to the English Channel off Calais by Fw190's of JG26. F/Lt Edward Vivian Darling has no known grave and is commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial.