Supermarine Spitfire MkI R6625

On Saturday September 14th 1940 16.40hrs 

19 Squadron. Fowlmere, Cambridgeshire

Piloted by

Sergeant František Marek

age 27 years killed

Crashed at  Black Bush Corner, 

Horndon on the Hill, Essex, England

         Sgt Frantisek Marek joined 310 sqdn on the 6th August 1940 aged 27 years

              attached to 19 sqdn "A" flight on the 29th August 1940.

     What happened

    During a routine patrol on 14th September 1940 at around 16.40hrs R6625

    crashed at Black Bush Corner, Horndon-on-the-Hill, Essex,

    Cause unknown but presumed oxygen failure.

    The Aircraft History

     R6625 was taken on charge by No 12 MU on 26th May 1940,

    Allocated to 19 sqdn on 31st May 1940,

    Transferred to No 7 OTU 11th August 1940,

    Relocated to 19 sqdn on 10th September 1940,

    R6625 claimed a Me110 on 11th September while being flown by Sgt Roden.

    As a result of flying battle damage on the 14th September 1940

    R6625 was struck off charge on the 15th September 1940

   The Excavation

   The dig was carried out on the 14th September 1975, the 35th anniversary of the crash of this

    aircraft the day before what is now known as Battle of Britain Day, the 15th being the turning point of the Battle.

   Waking up on that morning in 1975 by the sound of pouring rain, the complete

    opposite of the weather 35 years earlier.

   Arriving on site for the 8am start we were all hoping that the rain would ease but to no avail it would rain, all day all

     throughout the dig it just kept on raining.

   The first major item to come to light was the propeller complete with its yellow tips and

   propeller boss, and counter balance weights, instruments, gun site,

   compass and of course the Rolls Royce Merlin engine all in fantastic condition but he Merlin was bent and twisted but it did hit the         ground at around 400 mph. It was hard work sifting through the spoil heap looking

   for the smallest of parts but by the end of the day we had a major part of a

   Battle of Britain Spitfire, now for the cleaning and restoration of the parts.

   On the excavation ; Roger, Fred, Robin, David.Ron & Colin

     A story of the excavation can be found in issue 10 of "After The Battle Magazine"

   THE REMAINS OF R6625 ARE IN STORAGE

info@aviationmuseum.co.uk