Spitfire P8341 near Burghwallis.
On 29th January 1943 this aircraft was being flown by an ATA ferry pilot of No.6 Ferry Pilot Pool from Sherburn in Elmet to Radcliffe, during the flight while flying near Doncaster at 1,000 feet the exhausts began emitting smoke and flames. He shut the engine down and made a forced landing in a turnip field at 16.30hrs near Burghwallis. The cause of the engine fire was believed to have been the result of a loss of coolant. The Imperial War Museum have an interview the pilot recorded in which he states that he selected an area with three fields to attempt to land in but nearing the ground he noticed that a cable was in his path. With no power or no time to avoid it the aircraft flew into the cable and crash landed in the field. The electric cable was supplying power to an nearby army camp. He was taken into the local vicarage where the vicar looked after him until he was collected by people from Sherburn airfield.
Pilot - F/O William Anthony Artindale ATA (M.245).
Spitfire P8341 was built to contract B.981687/39 by Vickers Armstrong's Ltd. at Castle Bromwich and was delivered to 45 MU at Kinloss on 23rd April 1941. It was first taken on charge by 145 Squadron at Merston on 15th May 1941 and sustained minor Cat.A/FB damage after combat on 21st June 1941 slightly injuring the pilot. It was repaired on site and returned to service only to be then transferred to 306 Squadron at Northolt on 9th July 1941. Five days later it was transferred to 308 Squadron at Northolt and the to 132 Squadron at Peterhead on 17th September 1941. It moved to Skeabrae with them on 15th February 1942, Grimsetter on 11th June 1942, Martlesham Heath on 23rd September 1942, Hornchurch on 2nd October 1942, and back to Martlesham Heath on 9th October 1942. On 14th January 1943 it was transferred to 61 O.T.U. at Rednal. I assume the aircraft had arrived at 61 O.T.U. before 29th January 1943. If it had or hadn't I do not know why the aircraft was being flown by an ATA pilot when it force landed in Yorkshire on 29th January 1943. Cat.B/FA damage was the damage assessment and it was dismantled in the following week to be transported to A.S.T.Ltd. at Hamble for a repair in works. On 7th May 1943 it was taken on charge by 1605 AAC Flt. at Towyn from 9 MU but on 19th June 1943 it was transferred to the T.A.F. at Brackmell. On 23rd October 1943 it was transferred to 53 O.T.U. at Kirton in Lindsey and after this transfer no further details of the aircraft are known.