Spitfire BL533 at Catterick airfield.
During the afternoon of 8th May 1942 several 332 Squadron aircraft were flown on a training exercise and as part of the exercise the squadron were to land at Catterick airfield. Spitfire BL533 had landed but the pilot of this aircraft taxied too slowly down the last third of the runway in use. At 17.00hrs Spitfire BM126 landed behind BL533 but it was travelling too quickly. BM126 had not cleared the runway by the time BM126 came down it behind it and a collision occurred. Both aircraft were damaged.
Pilot - 2Lt Ulf Anton Tandberg RNoAF (1087).
On 20th November 1942 this Norwegian pilot was killed flying 332 Squadron Spitfire BS537 when it crashed into the Thames Estuary.
Spitfire BL533 was built to contract B.981687/39 by Vickers Armstrong's at Castle Bromwich. It was delivered to 24 MU at Ternhill on 12th December 1941 and was then taken on charge by 611 Squadron on 19th February 1942 at Drem. On 12th April 1942 it was transferred to 332 Squadron at Catterick and as a result of the collision there on 8th May 1942 Cat.B/FA damage was the initial damage assessment. On 20th May 1942 there was a second assessment and it was deemed too badly damaged to warrant a repair and it was Re-Cat.E (it probably had sustained damage to the main spar). It was struck off charge with a total flying time of 52 hours, 25 minutes.