One of the few remaining Spitfires crashes in field

A VINTAGE Spitfire fighter plane crash-landed in a field in Kent on Monday September 7. According to Kent police, the aircraft made the emergency landing in Woodchurch, Ashford, at about 9.50am 

Paramedics who were called to the crash examined the pilot but he is not believed to have been injured although his ego may have taken something of a knock.

A spokesman for Kent Fire and Rescue Service said: “The pilot was already out of the plane when fire crews arrived. He was assessed by paramedics at the scene.

“Firefighters remain in attendance making the scene safe and are dealing with a leak of a large quantity of aviation fuel. There are no further casualties and the cause of the crash is not yet known.”

The Environment Agency and the Civil Aviation Authority have been alerted to the incident and it appears that the aircraft may be repairable.

In July of this year, a Mark 1 Spitfire sold at auction for £3,106,500 (€4,225,000) before buyer’s commission, which is a world record, and with original parts almost impossible to obtain, any repairs on this crashed Spitfire are going to be exceptionally expensive to undertake.

Following the recent crash at Shoreham, it is a tribute to the pilot’s skill that he made the forced landing on open ground.