Spitfire TE375 near Wintringham.
On 23rd October 1950 a Spitfire of the Central Gunnery School was on a "Cine Combat" training flight when the aircraft caught fire in mid-air inside the cockpit area. The pilot tried to put the fire out but his attempts failed and he was forced to bale out. He landed near Wold Farm, West Heslerton and the aircraft crashed nearby in the region of Wintringham at 14.56hrs. The flight had lasted for just short of an hour. The pilot sustained slight burns to his hands. The location is also described as being at "Westfield Farm, West Lutton Road" in a local newspaper.
Pilot - F/Lt Thomas Alexander Carson DFC RAF (183026). Slightly injured.
Thomas Carson was an experinced pilot when this incident occurred; having a total of 1081 hours flying time to his name, 386 hours being on the Spitfire. He received a commission in August 1944 and while a P/O he was awarded the DFC for services with 19 Squadron in April 1945. The citation for his DFC reads.. "This officer has participated in a large number of sorties, including many harassing attacks on the enemy in various battle areas. He has at all times displayed the greatest keenness and has invariably pressed home his attacks from close range. Among his successes is the destruction of two enemy aircraft."