On 13th April 1945 this aircraft was slightly damaged in a taxying accident when the port undercarriage collapsed. It is listed in the 61/76 Base record book in a damage return that states it was being used by 1659 Heavy Conversion Unit at Topcliffe at the time and sustained minor Cat.Ac damage.
Pilot - Name unknown.
Spitfire EP564 was built to contract B.981687/39 by Vickers Armstrong’s Ltd. at Castle Bromwich and was delivered to 8 M.U. at Little Rissington on 5th July 1942. On 11th August 1942 it was taken on charge by 312 Squadron at Harrowbeer and moved with them to Church Stanton on 10th October 1942. On 29th October 1942 it was flown to A.S.T. Ltd. at Hamble for installation of a Merlin 45 to replace it’s Merlin 46. With this complete it was taken on charge by 131 Squadron at Westhampnett on 7th January 1943 and on paper it moved with them to Castletown eleven days later. The records state that on 27th January 1943 it transferred to 610 Squadron but as they were also at Westhampnett on this date it seems likely that it never left Westhampnett for Castletown earlier in January 1943. On 7th March 1943 it was transferred to 602 Squadron at Perranporth and similar to earlier this unit moved out to Lasham on 14th April 1943 but EP564 was then taken on charge by 412 Squadron on 19th April 1943 but they were at Perranporth at the time so it probably never left for Lasham. On 10th June 1943 it was transferred to 416 Squadron at Digby and then moved with them to Merston on 9th August 1943, Wellingore on 19th September 1943 and Digby on 2nd October 1943. On 10th February 1944 it was transferred to 186 Squadron at Tain who then moved to Lympne on 1st March 1944. On 15th April 1944 186 Squadron was re-designated as 130 Squadron and they then moved to Horne on 30th April 1944. It sustained minor battle damage on 21st May 1944 and it was repaired on site with minor Cat.A(c)/FB damage being the assessment. On 19th June 1944 it moved with this unit to Westhampnett, then to Merston on 27th June 1944 and to Tangmere on 3rd August 1944 to begin to re-equip with Spitfire MkXIV's and then to Lympne on 11th August 1944. By the end of August 1944 130 Squadron had ceased operating Mk.Vb’s Spitfires so this aircraft found it’s way to MU storage. The aircraft's history from here is sketchy. It appears to have remained in store until being allotted to 76 Base (Topcliffe, Dalton, Wombleton and Dishforth) for fighter affiliation work. 76 Base were allotted two Spitfires and two Hurricanes for this purpose. EP564 was taken on charge by 1659 H.C.U. at Topcliffe on an unknown date. As a result of the mishap on 13th April 1945 minor Cat.A(c)/FA damage would have been the damage assessment but whether the repair was actually made is not yet confirmed as the aircraft was struck off charge on 7th September 1945.
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