Spitfire Crash

Not much detail yet.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-lincolnshire-69056052

Oh no; let’s hope the pilot bailed out🤞🏼
Unfortunately the lack of confirmation of no fatalities doesn’t bode well🫤

Doesn’t look good. Terrible. I know that the pilots will try and stay with the plane when in difficulty. Fingers crossed.

A mate of mine was involved with the spitfire flights at Biggin Hill and I mentioned to him do you wear a parachute for these events and he looked at me as though I was mad and got a bit narky saying why would they need a parachute.

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An RAF spokesperson said: “We are aware of an incident in the vicinity of RAF Coningsby involving an RAF aircraft. We are working with the emergency services and supporting those involved. An update will be provided in due course.”

Presume it was a Battle of Britain Memorial Flight aircraft…?

It crashed in a garden during a Battle Of Britain Event.
Let’s hope no serous injuries.

There is a photo on one news site that shows a tarpaulin over the cockpit. Not a good sign.

Oh dear…

Looks like MK356

image

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I think it was an RAF BBMF plane judging by the terse comments of the MOD

Hoping pilot is safe …

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Unfortunately bbc reports that the pilot has died.
:disappointed:

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Yep, terribly I believe it’s Mark Sugden :slightly_frowning_face:

Saw him just a couple of weeks back flying one of the BBMF Hurricanes at Shuttleworth.

Edit: Could be another pilot apparently.

From the BBC - A pilot has died after a Spitfire crashed in a field close to an RAF station in Lincolnshire, officials said. Emergency services were called to the field off Langrick Road, Coningsby shortly before 13:20 BST on Saturday. The iconic aircraft belonged to the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight based at nearby RAF Coningsby, the RAF said.

Sad News… :cry:

The worst news! R.I.P.

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Sad news indeed.

I have a huge amount of respect for the people who flew these aeroplanes in combat where I suspect there may not have always been time for safety checks that we have today.

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These planes are much loved, but the latest Spitfire to be flying would be around eighty years old…

For the purposes of transparency the BBMF are beneficiaries under my will , they will no doubt go through all the internal reviews that happen when an RAF pilot is killed .

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I was very lucky to have a flight in a Spitfire at Biggin Hill. ( Significant Birthday Prezzie) . I definitely had a parachute and I’m very sure the Pilot did as well.

Whether in practice there would be time to go through the procedure and use it if something suddenly happened when cruising round at about 3,000ft, I’m a bit doubtful.

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Yes that makes perfect sense.

Spitfire pilot named.

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Yep, awful. Chap I was speaking to yesterday said ‘Mark’ was flying, turns out to be SL Long. Dreadful.

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