Spitfire down in UK

[JohnB]

UK media is reporting that a Spitfire crashed during a display at RAF Coningsby.

That is the home station for the BoBMF, but no word if it is an RAF aircraft.
Sadly, no word on pilot's condition but the comments on the UK-based FlyPast/Aeroplane forum say it does not look good.

Update: Condolences to family and friends of the pilot.

Last edited by JohnB on Sat May 25, 2024 3:39 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[Firebird]

UK media is reporting that a Spitfire crashed during a display at RAF Coningsby.

That is the home station for the BoBMF, but no word if it is an RAF aircraft.
Sadly, no word on pilot's condition but the comments on the UK-based FlyPast/Aeroplane forum say it does not look good.

No, it doesn't look good. A long delay for any such MOD/RAF announcement is sadly never a good sign.
Its almost certainly is a BBMF Spitfire, today was their first display day of the 2024 season, so likely happened just after take-off heading out to one of the many displays/flypasts booked for today. The one photo posted in the media taken at distance of the crash site appears to show the wreakage might be a sand/stone camo colouring which would likely indicate it being LF.IXe MK356 if so.

Keeping fingers crossed for the pilot.

[Firebird]

Sadly the RAF have now confirmed that the pilot died in the crash.

[Hooligan2]

Very sadly the pilot died in the accident.

[Lynn Allen]

So sad to hear this as I just read about this on Sky News. My condolences to the family and those effected.

[LegendaryWings]

Oh no, this is extremely sad to hear. Rest in peace to the pilot.

Last edited by LegendaryWings on Sun May 26, 2024 8:57 am, edited 1 time in total.

[hardlanding]

This hits me terribly - it is so tragic for someone to lose their life in the act of bringing us the aesthetic pleasure of seeing these now-antique mechanical works of art defy gravity like they first did 80 years ago. It is easy to forget the risk everyone incurs in keeping warbirds operating - my heart goes out to the pilot's family and everyone involved with the BBMF.

[Lynn Allen]

https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/388312

Blue Skies

[RyanShort1]

This hits me terribly - it is so tragic for someone to lose their life in the act of bringing us the aesthetic pleasure of seeing these now-antique mechanical works of art defy gravity like they first did 80 years ago. It is easy to forget the risk everyone incurs in keeping warbirds operating - my heart goes out to the pilot's family and everyone involved with the BBMF.

Most of us flying vintage aircraft are doing so knowing the risks and making the choice. Yes, it's tragic, and don't ever say about me "he died doing what he loved" because I was probably fighting to save the aircraft until the last, and that's not something I love - but there is an element of truth in that flying the airplanes in general is something most warbird pilots love.

[Firebird]

Very sad day for RAF BBMF......after almost 70 years of continuous operation of these historic aircraft, this is the their first fatal loss.

[Firebird]

RAF have named the pilot who died in the crash of MK356 yesterday, as Squadron Leader Mark Long, who had been flying with the BBMF for the past 4 years, alongside his duties as a senior Typhoon pilot.

[Warbird Kid]

So sad to hear. Just a tragedy.

[quemerford]

It says much that even an organization with the most highly-qualified, experienced pilots and the best engineers to support what must be the world's most over-serviced warbirds can still have a serious accident.