Monument record 7054 - Spitfire P9434 Crash Site

Spitfire Mk 1a of the RAF's No.57 OTU (Operational Training Unit) which was based at Hawarden in Flintshire. Crashed during the course of opertational training on the 6th December 1941 with the death of the pilot Sgt Sam Lee (1).

This Spitfire (No.9434), as denoted by the suffix to the mark number, was armed with six machine guns. It had a Merlin engine and was first flown on the 28th March 1940 by the RAF's No.8 MU Maintenance Unit. It was assigned to No.92 Squadron before being shot down in transit on the 23rd of May. After repairs the Spitfire was assigned to No.222 Squadron. On the 22nd of September, whilst being flown by P/O Carpenter, it was damaged by fire from a Messerschmitt Bf 109 near Battle in Sussex. The Spitfire was assigned to No.57 OTU (Operational Training Unit) on the 28th July 1941. The aircraft 'spun into the ground' at Picton in Cheshire on the 6th December 1941 (2).

<1> Various, Written Communication to the HER, Osgood R 23/07/2012 (Written Communication). SCH3756.

<2> spitfire.uk.net, various, Spitfire Aircraft Production, 24/07/2012 (Web Site). SCH6845.