Spitfire Mk VI Recovered off Poole

[Dave Bobbiggles]

Hi, can anyone help with the history of a Mark VI Spitfire which crashed in the sea approx. six miles off Poole, Dorset? I believe it crashed during 1942? A local story says it was a Polish pilot chasing a Barrage Balloon and he baled out safely?

I've checked the list of Mk. VIs in 'Spitfire - The History' by Eric B. Morgan and Edward Shacklady with out any luck. I know it was one of only 100 Mk. VIs with Merlin 47s fitted but nothing else?

Any help identifying serial number, history would be very much appreciated?

Thanks

Dave

[Revi16]

If you have a bunch of time on your hands, you can go thru 115 pages of Spitfire s/n's, pick out the Mk. VI's, see when they were written off and which Squadron they were assigned to and try to weed out the correct one that way.

http://www.spitfires.ukf.net/production.htm

Regards,
Mike

[Graham Boak]

Can you confirm that the crash you are discussing was indeed a Mk.VI? The title says "recovery" - have specific parts come up that leads you to this conclusion?

[Alex Smart]

hello,

The aircraft you seek may be listed on this site.

http://daveg4otu.tripod.com/aviation...euk1900to2000/

Good luck
Alex

[Dave Bobbiggles]

Hi

Thanks Mike, Graham and Alex for all your help.

Some parts of this Spitfire were recovered I believe in the early - mid 1970s and included a Merlin 47, hence the theory it would have been a Mk. VI?

Two possible aircraft I thought it might be are BR 590 lost off Swanage or BS 115 lost off Christchurch?

Any additional help would be very much appreciated.

Kind regards

Dave

[VoyTech]

I believe I have a complete list of Spitfires written off by Poles in operational units and this includes no Mk VIs. And I found no Spitfire lost while chasing a balloon and/or into the sea off Poole.
Perhaps the pilot was Czech? Poles and Czechs often get mixed up in British accounts.
Merlin 47s were also fitted in Mk Vs.