At 19.25hrs on 1st August 1942 this 403 Squadron aircraft made a steep approach to land at Catterick airfield as the runway in use resulted in an approach over the buildings and in a direction that the pilot was not used to, the port undercarriage struck the ground hard and would not then lock down. Realising the damage the pilot kept the aircraft off the leg and took off again. A landing was then made at Scorton airfield where a flat approach could be made and while the pilot attempted to keep the weight off the damaged port leg once the forward speed dropped he could not prevent it settling onto the leg. The pilot appears to have been landing following a cine gun and formation flying exercise at the time.
Pilot - F/Sgt Douglas Leroy Rawson RCAF (R/69258).
Douglas Rawson had earlier been injured on 5th April 1942 when his Spitfire overturned on landing at Martlesham Heath. He was killed on 23rd November 1942 with 14 Squadron in North Africa and is buried in Suez War Memorial Cemetery, Egypt. His brother James Rawson RCAF (J/20373) was killed on 12th June 1943 flying with 426 Squadron.
Spitfire EB858 was built to contract B.981687/39 by Vickers Armstrong's Ltd. at Castle Bromwich and was flown to 8 MU at Little Rissington on 8th May 1942. On 2nd June 1942 it was taken on charge by 403 Squadron at Southend. It then moved to Martlesham Heath on 3rd June 1942 and to Catterick on 19th June 1942 with the squadron. It undertook the detachment to Manston with 403 Squadron in early July 1942 before returning to Catterick with them. As a result of this minor mishap on 1st August 1942 Cat.A(c)/FA damage was the assessment and it was repaired site. It was repaired in time to be part of the detachment that undertook Dieppe operations from Manston in August 1942 before returning to Catterick. It was also post of the detachment that flew to Kenley in early October 1942 before returning to Catterick later the same month. 403 Squadron left Catterick for good on 23rd January 19443 and the aircraft went with them. On 3rd June 1943 it was transferred to 416 Squadron RCAF at Wellingore and moved with them to Digby on 6th June 1943. On 13th June 1943 it was transferred to 132 Squadron at Perranporth and on paper moved with them to Gravesend on 20th June 1943 but probably never left as on 28th June 1943 it was transferred to 302 Squadron (this would suggest it never went to Gravesend). It then stayed with 302 Squadron and moved with them to Fairlop on 19th August 1943, Tangmere on 18th September 1943 and Northolt on 21st September 1943. On 6th January 1944 it was transferred to 234 Squadron at Church Fenton and moved with them to Colishall on 28th January 1944, Bolt Head on 18th March 1944, Deanland on 29th April 1944 and Predannack on 19th June 1944. On 5th October 1944 it was transferred to 53 OTU at Kirton in Lindsey. It was damaged there on 1st January 1945 when swung after a heavy landing and ran into a hedge. Initially it was deemed Cat.A/FA damaged but a week later it was re-ssessed and struck off charge with Cat.E damage.
Back to monthly table.