Hurricane V7208 near Leconfield airfield.
At 14.30hrs on 16th December 1940 this 213 Squadron aircraft suffered engine failure on take off from Leconfield airfield for a formation flying exercise so the pilot made a belly landing nearby.
Pilot - Sgt Colin Raymond Glover RAFVR (903503).
Colin Glover later served with 274 Squadron and was killed flying Hurricane Z4606 in Crete on 26th May 1941 when the aircraft was shot down by a Bf109 and it crashed into the sea. He is commemorated on the Alamein Memorial and was twenty seven years old.
Hurricane V7208 was built to contract 62305/39 by Hawker Aircraft Ltd, at Langley and was initially flown to 19 MU at St.Athan on 4th July 1940. On 13th July 1940 it was taken on charge by 213 Squadron at Exeter. This unit then moved to Tangmere on 7th September 1940 and Leconfield on 29th November 1940. As a result of the crash there on 16th December 1940 Cat.R/FA damage was the damage assessment. It was sent for a repair in works at No.1 CRU at Cowley and was also converted to a Sea Hurricane at the same time. With this complete, on 13th February 1941 it was flown to 27 MU at Shawbury. In March 1941 it was transferred to RNDA at Shawbury and in June 1941 it was taken on charge by 759 Squadron FAA at Yeovilton. On 28th July 1941 it crashed on formation practice flying between Maiden Newton and Cerne Abbas, Dorset killing the pilot. Cat.Z/FA damage was the damage assessment and it was struck off charge.