Supermarine Spitfire Mk. I X4588

Supermarine Spitfire X4588
Originally uploaded by seansonofbig

A day out in the Brecon Beacons yesterday located the crash site of Spitfire X4588, fatally crashed by Sgt. D P Carruthers during a formation flying exercise in May 1942 probably as a result of a combination of bad weather and a slight navigation error.

The efforts of the local National Park staff in the Brecons to prevent the activities of magpies (as previously reported) are probably the reason for this being our most extensive Spitfire wreckage visited to date.

Location: SO 01677 18458

Snowdon Revisit

Sean and Matt with 'Copter
Originally uploaded by seansonofbig2

A hot day on Snowdon yesterday. Imagine that.

Helicopters were all over keeping an eye on things, and in the case of the Sea King seen near the summit, presumably taking part in a rescue exercise. This littler one ( top right of frame) went back and forth up and down Cwm Llan for the better part of an hour.

We found the rest of the DH Mosquito we missed last time, as well as the scant remains of the Spitfire on Yr Aran, with the assistance of Matt ZX.

Now we have found it, we can reveal that you won't need our coordinates to find the Mosquito wreckage. Just follow the river, you can't miss it, throughout the stream bed, and around its banks.

The Spitfire is more elusive, and on steep unstable ground above a good drop. Even that has not prevented fresh looting, however, as we report lower down the page.

On a technical note, all pics are now taken with Micks' new camera, and have much better resolution than previously if you click through...

Supermarine Spitfire Mk. I X4843

Supermarine Spitfire Mk. I X4843
Originally uploaded by seansonofbig

All that remains of the Spitfire crashed on Yr Aran are these few scraps.

These are less still than Matt ZX saw only as far back as April.

This piece of perspex, and chunk of armour plate have been taken from the site since then.

If you click on the pic and zoom in , you can see that the plate is marked with the year of manufacture, 1940.

The magpies like nothing better than a Spitfire. Consequently even the few bits not yet misappropriated may be the most we have seen left at a Spitfire crash site!

Interestingly, I am told that the missing bits apparently feature in the photos of the crash site on the PDAAR website, which were taken very shortly before we visited.

Location: SH 60615 51687

World's End

World's End
Originally uploaded by seansonofbig

Went up to a place called World's End above Minera (near Wrexham)on Monday in a fair bit of snow looking for some of the wrecks up there. Four are given in High Ground Wrecks: Beaufighter NE203, Spitfire TE210, Fulmar N4074, and Master N7442.

As with last week in Yorkshire, we found nothing anywhere near the HGW coordinates for the ones we got to.

A great day out though, and we had the added excitement of very nearly losing the Landy over a steep bank. Excitement is not quite the right word though, we were a few inches from a 30m drop sideways.

The road is basically impassable in any amount of snow, as even locals were finding out the hard way. Quite a few people went past points of no return, and we had to take a couple of carfuls back down to safety as dark closed in. I should imagine this has been world's end for a few drivers over the years, as well as all those pilots.

Spitfire Mk.XIV NH695

Spitfire: Bewdley
Originally uploaded by wreckhunter

A nut from a Spitfire which crashed in Postensplain, Wyre Forest.

This is our first crash site for a female pilot.

Mrs Rosamund King Everard-Steenkamp was at the controls. We are told that her husband had himself previously died in an aviation accident. She may have been the first woman to fly a jet.

Location: SO 74870 79165

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DHAS Merlin XII at Thorpe Camp

DHAS Merlin XII at Thorpe Camp
Originally uploaded by seansonofbig2

As promised, here is the Merlin 12 engine from the Windygates Farm Spitfire, courtesy of Mr Kirk of Derbyshire Historical Aviation Society.

It's not a Merlin 3, and it does not seem to have been left to rot. DHAS 2, Pat Cunningham 0.

Supermarine Spitfire Mk.IIA P7593

Spitfire:The Roaches
Originally uploaded by seansonofbig2

Lots of bits found at the site of this Spitfire crash at the foot of the Roaches, including what appears to be a panel clock. Click on the pic for an annotated version.

Talking to the farmer, someone was there at the site a month ago, who said they had previously published material on the wrecks. He didn't think it was Pat Cunningham, and he knew it wasn't Alan Clark, because he didn't bring his mum with him like last time. Whoever it was found a spade, apparently.

In preparation for visiting the site, we investigated the whereabouts of the Merlin 12 engine (not a Merlin 3 as stated in Pat Cunningham's book) removed from the site in 1978. It is in Lincolnshire, here. Its owners were still livid at the assertion in "Peakland Air Crashes" that they had left it to rot, and have sent me a pic of the state of restoration of the engine, which you can see a few posts above this one.

Location: SK 00294 61650

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Supermarine Seafire F.Mk.17s SP325 and SX314

Seafire Wreck 2
Originally uploaded by seansonofbig

Second wreckage location: Closest location at SJ 99068 67394 to that previously given for for SX314 wreckage, but probably still SP325.

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Supermarine Seafire F.Mk.17s SP325 and SX314

Seafire Wreckage
Originally uploaded by seansonofbig

Found in between the two wreckage locations at SJ 99116 67348. Not seen this bit photographed elsewhere. It is probably from SP325. The larger component is perhaps 9" along its longer axis.

Both components have a fastener detail which might prove useful in deciding where they came from.

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Supermarine Seafire F.Mk.17s SP325 and SX314

Seafire Wreck 1
Originally uploaded by seansonofbig

First "Seafire" crash site: SJ 99180 67337.

This wing component is probably from SP325.

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