Supermarine Spitfire NH523 was a MkIX aircraft
built in Castle Bromwich in the West Midlands in 1944. It first entered RAF service with number 33 Maintenance Unit on 31 May 1944 and was subsequently allocated to 132 Squadron based at Ford, in Sussex, where it saw active service. The squadron was moved on 25 June 1944 to Amblie in Normandy to help support the invasion of Europe.
Spitfire NH523 was shot up in a dog fight with a Focke Wolfe 190 on 2
July 1944 and subsequently crash landed, the pilot escaping with only minor injuries. The aircraft was sent back to England for repair at Hamble in Southampton and was again delivered to 33 Maintenance Unit - now based at Lyneham in Wiltshire - on 26 December 1944.
The aircraft's last flight was on 20 January 1945 whilst being delivered to an operational squadron. The ATA ferry pilot delivering the aircraft flew into a snow storm at about 1500ft over Stonton Wood in Leicestershire.
The pilot was forced to abandon the aircraft and Spitfire NH523 crashed at about 2:45 and was destroyed.
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