Spitfire X4163 at Catterick airfield.
On 19th June 1941 this 313 Squadron aircraft undershot on landing at Catterick and the undercarriage broke upon striking the ground in the undershoot area. The aircraft was later repaired.
Pilot - Sgt Otto Spacek.
Otto Spacek was born in Brzici, Bohemia on 7th March 1918, he learnt to fly in the mid-1930's and flew in his home nation in the 1930s. He fled to
Poland when following the Nazi invasion in 1939 and later fought in France where he was awarded the Croix de Guerre for shooting down two aircraft.
When France fell he arrived in the UK and continued his service, initially with 312 Squadron and later 313 Squadron. On 11th November 1940 he was
flying 312 Squadron Hurricane P3910 on a training flight when he force landed near Liverpool. On 10th February he crash landed Spitfire AD361 at
Rochford when the undercarriage failed to lock down. He was later awarded numerous Czech medals. He survived the War and he returned home but with
Communism taking over he left again and lived in exile in Canada for many years. He returned home again in the 1993 after the communist government
collapsed in 1989. He died in September 2004 aged 89.
Spitfire X4163 had a long service history, it was built to contract B.19719/39 by Vickers Armstrong's (Supermarine) Ltd. at Woolston/Eastleigh and
was first test flown on 8th August 1940. The following day it was flown to 9 MU at Cosford and on 13th August 1940 it was taken on charge by 54 Squadron
then based at Hornchurch. The aircraft then appears to have been used by 603 Squadron who were also based at Hornchurch and the aircraft was possibly
damaged in combat on 30th August 1940 while being flown by a 603 Squadron pilot. On 3rd September 1940 54 Squadron moved to Catterick and took X4163
with them. On 27th October 1940 F/Lt D.G. Gribble flew the aircraft and claimed a Ju88 as damaged over the Cleveland Hills. On 22nd February 1941 it
was transferred to 41 Squadron who moved into Catterick that day, on 24th April 1941 it was transferred to 452 Squadron at Kirton in Lindsey before
transfer back to Catterick to the care of 313 Squadron on 1st June 1941. On 19th June 1941 Cat.A/FA damage was recorded following the incident recorded
above. Ten days later it was inspected by 43 Group and deemed to be repairable on site but there is no mention it ever being returned to 313 Squadron.
On 20th October 1941 it was in the care of 53 OTU at Llandow and on 5th December 1941 it sustained Cat.B/FA damage when it hit an obstruction near the
end of a runway under construction at Llandow and undercarriage was torn off. On 13th December 1941 it was dismantled and taken by road to The Westland
Aircraft Co. Ltd. at Yeovil for repair. On 7th March 1942 it was awaiting collection after the repair and on 23rd March 1942 it was flown to 8 MU at
Little Rissington for storage. On 21st May 1942 it was flown to 3 SLG at Middle Farm to be placed further into storage but this was only brief as on
1st July 1942 it was flown to 8 MU at Little Rissington to be ferried to 58 OTU at Grangemouth the same day. On 26th August 1943 it suffered damage
in a Cat.A/FA bird strike. The pilot landed safely and it was repaired on site and returned to the unit. On 5th October 1943 58 OTU re-designated 2 CTW,
on 12th October 1943 Cat.A/FA damage was again sustained when it ran off the runway on landing at Grangemouth in a crosswind. It's undercarriage was yet
again repaired and it was returned to the unit. On 15th October 1943 2 CTW were re-designated 2 TEU, where it remained until 26th February 1944 when
it was transferred to 1 TEU at Tealing. On 16th April 1944 it was transferred to 57 OTU at Eshott then on 27th August 1944 it was flown to 9 MU at
Cosford for long term storage. It was finally struck off charge on 24th May 1945.