# Unknown - Englisch Spitfire airplane



## Vin1 (Dec 28, 2009)

Hello,

I have bought an old picture of an spitfire.
This one must be crashed in Holland on the "Waddenzee"
In the north of Holland.

Does someone know which airplane this is and which crew was on board?

I think it is crashed in 1940.

Maybe anyone know where I can find an list of al crashed spitfire airplains? So I can take a look?


----------



## Wurger (Dec 28, 2009)

Taking the kind of the fin flash into consideration it was early Spitfire. I think it might be MkIA. Unfortunately the squadron code letters aren't seen.So it will be quite difficult to find any info on that.


----------



## Vin1 (Dec 28, 2009)

Thanks for the info.

Do you know where I can find an list of al crashed spitfire airplanes in Holland?


----------



## Njaco (Dec 28, 2009)

When I get home I can post a link but if you want to Google, try "Airwar Denmark". There is a site that has a listing of all crashed planes - Allied and LW - and the dates, background.


----------



## Colin1 (Dec 28, 2009)

There's not alot to go on
Some Mk Vs carried the early fin flash but the 1940 crash date (if you're correct) would rule that out.
There's not really enough of it left to extract it from Morgan Shacklady's _Spitfire The History_; not easily anyway. You'd need to wade through the Mk I serials to extract all that crashed in Holland during BEF activity and then try and narrow it down from there.


----------



## Njaco (Dec 28, 2009)

heres the link.....

Airwar over Denmark by Søren C. Flensted. Air War over Denmark

you'll have to research it but it may be there.


----------



## GrauGeist (Dec 28, 2009)

Is it me, or is that tail still smoldering?


----------



## Airframes (Dec 28, 2009)

Don't think so Dave. The tip of the rudder appears to be still in place, but what seems to be a smoke haze is fogging or other damage on the original print; this can be seen in other areas of the print too. From what I can of the remains of the port wing, it looks like there are four MG bays, so I reckon a Mk1A.
It's not definite, but this aircraft might have been belly landed and destroyed by its pilot. The way the prop blade is only bent at the tip suggests a possible 'dead stick' landing, and the seat of the fire appears to be around the cockpit area, which _might_ indicate the fire was started by the incendiary charge fitted in order to destroy the aircraft to prevent it falling intact into enemy hands. It might be worthwhile starting any search by looking for this type of incident. Just a thought.


----------



## Crimea_River (Dec 28, 2009)

Looks like it is.

Interesting link Chris.


----------



## Vin1 (Dec 29, 2009)

Thank you al for the info.
I hope to know more about this airplane in the future.
If I do, I let it know !


----------



## mhuxt (Dec 29, 2009)

A list of all Spitfires and their fates can be found here:

Spitfire downloads

The text file opens easily from Excel and can be used to sort, filter, search etc.


----------



## magnu (Dec 29, 2009)

Under enlargement I think I can make out the letter B just below the second hole in the aft fuselage. Not a lot to go on but it may help narrow down the search


----------



## Vin1 (Dec 29, 2009)

I did some research (www.verliesregister.nl) and discovered that some spitfires maybe could be the one on the picture:

Spitfire IV (X3485)- 22-4-1942 - Waddenzee bij Ameland 
Spitfire VB (AA980) - 4-6-1943 - Noordzee voor de kust van Texel 
Spitfire VB (AR325) - 21-6-1943 - Noordzee - noordpunt Texel 
Spitfire V (EN966) - 19-7-1943 - Waddenzee (O van Texel) 

I think it must be one of these Spitfire airplanes.

Maybe someone can help me further.


----------



## Marcel (Dec 31, 2009)

I think Noordzee is unlikely, seeing the picture. It must be the Waddenzee. Unless it crashed on de Noorderhaaks, but I don't think it was as big then as it is today.


----------



## antoni (Jan 1, 2010)

This was very quickly identified on another forum as Spitfire N3180 KL*B of 54 Squadron. Tuesday May 28th 1940. Patrol Dunkirk: Radiator hit by return fire in attack on Bf 110 of 7.(F)/LG2, turned off engine belly-landed on beach at De Panne 5.30 am. P/O A.C.Deere injured forehead. Aircraft fired by pilot.


----------



## Njaco (Jan 1, 2010)

and the mystery is solved. Thanks Antoni!


----------



## Airframes (Jan 1, 2010)

Ah ha! It's Al Deere's aircraft! Great job Antoni! 
I thought it seemed very vaguely familiar in the original photograph posted, but not from that angle. Also the 'sandwave' in the pic in question gave me doubts about it being Holland, as it appeared to be a much more tidal beach, where the sand is 'rippled' at a strong turn of the tide's undercurrent. I actually thought it might have been the Spit which suddenly surfaced, and I believe was recovered, on a French beach in the early 1980's.
So, mystery solved, and our friend has a photo of an 'ace's' Spitfire. Well done again Antoni.


----------

