A historic World War II Spitfire dramatically crash-landed in a Kent field while “practising for a VE Day event”. The aircraft plunged into a farmer’s crops after it was seen circling “for a couple of minutes” in West Hythe, at 7pm on Saturday. The Spitfire made an emergency landing, narrowly avoiding nearby power lines. Remarkably, the pilot was able to walk away unscathed.
Emergency services were quickly dispatched following reports of the crash. Two fire engines attended the scene, with crews working to make the area “safe.” The fire service confirmed that one person was handed into the care of the South East Coast Ambulance Service, and that crews left the site around 9pm. An eyewitness noted that the aircraft had been circling, which was “unusual,” but assumed it was “practising for a VE Day ceremony.”
“We watched that Spitfire for a couple of minutes and it flew off. So we continued driving, and came across the plane which had just crashed. The pilot and passenger were luckily out of the aircraft,” Emily told KentOnline.
“Bystanders were walking across the field. So we pulled up and then walked across the field ourselves to check everyone was okay.”
The eyewitness contacted the farmer whose land the aircraft had landed in, in order to get the gate open.
The Spitfire is believed to have been built in 1943 and later served with the Royal Canadian Air Force’s 441 Squadron. During World War II, it operated under the RAF, with its first operational mission in September 1944.
The Spitfire is now owned by Fly a Spitfire, based in Biggin Hill, who confirmed the pilot made a “precautionary landing” at a “non-airfield site.”
The crash occurred just days before Britain is set to commemorate the 80th anniversary of VE Day, which will include an annual flypast. Six waves of aircraft are scheduled to take part in the event, marking the first of four days of celebrations. The aviation display is set to begin at 1.45pm and will last approximately five minutes.
The Red Arrows will appear in the final wave, following the iconic Lancaster bomber from the RAF’s Battle of Britain Memorial Flight.
