Spitfire Vb BL907

I have been continuing my search for information on BL907. I understand the accident card is missing, but have found out the folloing information:

The ORB:

28th February 1945; “Court of Inquiry assembled on 20th February 1945 to investigate, report and fix responsibility for flying accident on 17th February 1945 to Spitfire BL907. President F/Lt Fleet, 48 MU and member F/Lt Smith 9 MU.”

From Gifts of War:

Spitfire BL907 was a presentation Spitfire named Spirit of Natal. It was presented through the governor general’s fund and South African Mayor’s fund, the total raised being £26,1949 of which £202,000 was donated by Natal. According to the book it was delivered to 9 MU on 4th October 1944, but on 17th February 1945 crashed while on a test at Donington, near Albrighton. Photo in IWM.

I have obtained the picture of the Spirit of Natal from the IWM, but have noticed something that has got me wondering. Since the picture is copyright of the IWM I can’t post it up, but I’ve cropped the section that has got me puzzled. The picture appears to show that the canopy is a PR type, with the additional bulges on the side:

The picture shows a gunsight, and external bulletproof windscreen also.

Could anyone provide any further information to help? Could BL907 not be the Spirit of Natal?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Sean

Is anybody able to confirm which marks of Spitfire had the PR canopy, a gunsight and external bulletproof windscreen? Was it just the PR1G and PRXIII? I’ve never seen a picture of one, but is it possible that a PR canopy was fitted to a standard MkV Spitfire?

It could be possible. I’ve certainly seen a standard Mk.IIa fitted with one – the pilot simply wanted to have a better view of what was behind him.

I can’t recall seeing the bulged canopy on the low-level PR Spits, though, but I could be wrong on that one.

Found a reference of it shooting down a Bf109 here :

http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=mLJcA6hGWvkC&pg=PA27&lpg=PA27&dq=spitfire+bl907&source=bl&ots=0QmmpqFu9S&sig=sF7DTZYTv4DwmEOpTlNuCCaLeHY&hl=en&ei=1z6SS-GGIJSi0gS106zhDA&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=4&ved=0CBQQ6AEwAw#v=onepage&q=spitfire%20bl907&f=false

page 27!

Is anybody able to confirm which marks of Spitfire had the PR canopy, a gunsight and external bulletproof windscreen? Was it just the PR1G and PRXIII? I’ve never seen a picture of one, but is it possible that a PR canopy was fitted to a standard MkV Spitfire?

Also, the picture seems to show a ‘U’ Squadron code. Did any of the PR Squadrons ever start with this letter?

Any help appreciated.

Thanks again.

Sean

There should be an accident record card available on microfilm at the RAF Museum archive.

VoyTech,

Thanks for the detailed reply. The 17th Feb, confirms a date we have from another source.

Do you have any more information on the ‘landing collision’?

Also does anyone know if there is likely to be an official report on this event, and if so where we could get a copy?

Thanks again

Sean

Cat. B damage in 222 Sqn was on 19 June 1942, when it was damaged in combat with Fw 190s off Belgain coast, Sgt R. Hoare escaping unhurt. It was repaired by Westlands and went to 38 MU on 10 August, but was damaged cat. B in an accident on 26 August. This time repaired by the AST Hamble, it went to 610 Sqn as in your listing.
In 350 Sqn it was damaged cat. AC on 8 July. Repaired on site it resumed service with No. 350. In late September 1943 it went to 3501 Servicing Unit, presumably for conversion to LF.V.
The “133 Sqn” entry is doubtful: I don’t think there was a 133 Sqn in the RAF at the time. This might be a misspelling for 132 Sqn.
After the accident in September 1944, the damage category seems to have been changed to ‘B’ at the AST on the 23th. Following repair it was allocated to 9 MU on 22 January 1945. I found reference to the landing collision taking place on 17 February 1945, not the 27th.