Spitfire X4235 at Catterick airfield.
On 11th November 1940 this 54 Squadron aircraft struck a workman who was stood on the perimeter track while the aircraft was in the process of landing at Catterick. The pilot let the undercarriage collapse on touching down to prevent the aircraft from overturning though the aircraft was later repaired. The pilot became one of the most famous fighter pilots of the War. He was deemed in no way to blame for this incident in November 1940.
Pilot - F/Lt Alan Christopher Deere DFC and Bar RAF (40370).
Workman - Name unknown, probably seriously injured.
Air Commodore Alan Deere DFC & Bar, Croix de Guerre survived the War. He was one of the superstar fighter pilots of his era.
On 19th September 1940 it was again re-assessed probably because of the shortage of available aircraft in the Battle of Britain and Re-Cat.M and repaired on site.
In October 1940 it was returned to 54 Squadron who were now based at Catterick, it sustained Cat.R/FA damage in the incident recorded above and on 21st November 1940
it was transported to 1 CRU at Cowley for repair. On 2nd January 1941 it was flown to 45 MU at Kinloss for storage and on 3rd May 1941 it was taken on charge by
111 Squadron at Dyce. It transferred to 58 OTU at Grangemouth on 29th May 1941 and on 9th June 1942 after a major inspection it was declared Cat.B damaged.
On 15th June 1942 it was transported to 1 CRU at Cowley for repair again and was awaiting collection on 1st August 1942. On 11th August 1942 it was flown to 6 MU at
Brize Norton but on 4th September 1942 transferred to the Royal Navy (FAA) at Arbroath. In October 1942 it was take on charge by 761 Squadron at Henstridge. In November 1942
it was flown to the RNAS Yeovilton storage section for long term storage. On 3rd February 1944 it taxied into Proctor BV641 which was standing on the perimeter
track at Worthy Down. After this incident it was declared Cat.X1 and repaired on site. On 3rd October 1944 it was flown to 45 MU at Kinloss for storage and then struck off charge
on 30th December 1944.
Spitfire X4235 was built to contract 19713/39 by Vickers Armstrong's (Supermarine) Ltd at Woolston and was first test flown on 15th August 1940. The
following day it was flown to 8 MU at Little Rissington. On 25th August 1940 it was taken on charge by 54 Squadron at Hornchurch and coded "KL-E" but on
31st August 1940 it crashed during a scramble when a bomb exploded on the airfield close by, the aircraft crossed the airfield boundary and ended
up in the River Ingrebourne injuring the then pilot. It was declared Cat.M/FB but re-assessed on 11th September 1940 as Re-Cat.W and struck off charge.