Spitfire R7137 at Leconfield airfield.
At 11.05hrs on 2nd September 1941 two 610 Squadron Spitfires took off from Leconfield for an operational flight, to intercept possible enemy aircraft. The engine of this 610 Squadron aircraft cut out while the pilot was taking off, he turned the aircraft at the end of the runway to avoid hitting a number of workmen but the aircraft stopped suddenly in mud and overturned.
Pilot - Sgt Ronald Percival Blackmore RAFVR (923806).
Ron Blackmore was posted on attachment to 452 Squadron on 22nd September 1941 until 27th September 1941 when he returned to 610 Squadron but later was posted away to fly Hurricanes. He died in Harare, Zimbabwe in March 2005.
Spitfire R7137 was built to contract B.19713/39 by Vickers Armstrong's (Supermarine) Ltd. at Woolston/Eastleigh and was first test flown on
10th February 1941. On 25th February 1941 it was collected by Sgt.R.L.Duncan of 8 F.P.P. based at Sydenham for delivery to 12 MU at Kirkbride but
on landing at Kirkbride the aircraft struck a bicycle and tipped on it's nose. Cat.A/FA was the result but it was accepted by 12 MU at Kirkbride
and repaired on site there. On 22nd June 1941 it was taken on charge by 129 Squadron at Leconfield and on 28th August 1941 transferred to 610
Squadron also at Leconfield. As a result of the incident on 2nd September 1941 Cat.E/FA damage was recorded and the aircraft was not repaired so
must have sustained more serious damage than the report above seems to indicate (perhaps it fell back down onto its tail after tipping onto its nose).
It was struck off charge on 22nd September 1941.