Spitfire P9383 at Leconfield airfield.
On 26th July 1940 this 616 Squadron aircraft undershot the flarepath while landing at Leconfield at dawn and the undercarriage collapsed. The pilot was escaped uninjured.
Pilot - P/O William Louis Buchanan Walker RAFVR (82662).
William "Bill" Walker was born on 24th August 1913. He joined the RAF Reserve in September 1939 and having being called
up on 1st September 1939 and was undergoing training until 18th June 1940 when he arrived at 616 Squadron,
he was also commissioned on this same date. After the mishap detailed above P/O Walker was involved
in a second similar incident at Leconfield on 15th August 1940 from which he escaped injury again in Spitfire K9807. Soon after this incident at Leconfield
616 Squadron moved back to the south of England where the Battle of Britain was in full swing and on 26th
August 1940 while flying Spitfire R6701 he was shot down following combat off the Kent coast. He baled out
of his aircraft but had been shot in the ankle in the combat. After a period of time he was picked up by
a fishing boat and eventually to RAF Hospital Halton. It was not until 2nd May 1941 until he rejoined 616 Squadron who were
now based at Tangmere. He rose to F/O (war subs) on 18th June 1941 and to F/Lt exactly a year later. He later
flew with 116 Squadron and survived the War. He would later work in brewing and rise to become chairman
on Ind Coope (which merged with other brewers to become Allied Breweries in 1961). It is believed that he
is still living in 2010 when this webpage was created as he featured in television programs detailing the 70th anniversary of the Battle of Britain.
Spitfire P9383 was built to contract B981687/39/CB/23(c) by Vickers Armstrong's Ltd. at
Castle Bromwich and was first test flown on 29th February 1940. It was delivered to 27 MU at
Shawbury (ASU) on 5th March 1940 and issued to 616 Squadron at Leconfield on 6th June 1940.
Following the incident detailed above at Leconfield on 26th July 1940 Cat.R/FA damage was
recorded and it was deemed needed to take the aircraft back into works for repair. On
1st August 1940 it arrived at Scottish Aviation Ltd at Prestwick for repair. On 14th March
1941 when the repair was complete it was flown to 9 MU at Cosford for storage. on 6th May 1941 it
was issued to 53 OTU at Heston but on 12th May 1941 it sustained unspecified Cat.A(c)/FA but was
repaired on site. It was destroyed following a crash on 9th July 1941, with Cat.E2/FA damage being
recorded, when crashed at Colwinston, Glamorgan and was struck off charge on 14th July 1941. The piloton that occasion sadly loosing his life.