ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 163220
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| Date: | Friday 21 February 1941 |
| Time: | 13:45 |
| Type: |  Supermarine Spitfire Mk IIa |
| Owner/operator: | 41 Sqn RAF |
| Registration: | P7816 |
| MSN: | |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | Chilham, Kent, Eńgland -
 United Kingdom
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | RAF Hornchurch, Essex |
| RAF Hornchurch |
Six Spitfires were ordered to patrol Ramsgate, Canterbury, and Dungeness. At the conclusion of the patrol the Spitfires commenced their descent from 32,000 feet to return to base.
At this point one of the fighters was seen to pitch up into a steep climbing turn and then dive away, disappearing in the haze at about 25,000 feet.
The Spitfire crashed in soft and wet ground near Chilham and was destroyed.
An initial and cursory examination of the wreckage buried in the soggy terrain revealed no trace of the pilot and it was assumed that he had baled out at a sufficient height for the fresh to strong northwest wind to carry his parachute out to sea.
The pilot was posted 'Missing-presumed killed.'
In April, 1994, a private excavation of the crash site was carried out and the mortal remains of the missing pilot, Sgt John Stanley Gilders, were found in the wreckage.
John Gilders is buried in Brookwood Military Cemetery.
R.I.P.
Sources:
Spitfire production list.
'Finding the Few' by Andy Saunders. Pub. by Grub Street Publishing, London, 2009.
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 13-Jan-2014 09:40 | angels one five | Added |
| 13-Jan-2014 09:45 | angels one five | Updated [Narrative] |
| 13-Jan-2014 18:40 | angels one five | Updated [Narrative] |
| 06-Jun-2015 20:52 | Angel dick one | Updated [Time, Operator, Departure airport] |
| 02-Oct-2019 04:40 | angels one five | Updated [Departure airport, Narrative] |
| 17-Jun-2023 20:27 | Nepa | Updated [[Departure airport, Narrative]] |
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