Spitfire F.22 - PK315
| Date | Type | Serial | Sqn | Home Base | Map Ref. |
| 04/12/1949 | Spitfire F22 | PK315 | 607Sqn | RAF Ouston |
Aircraft history and crash details |
| Built by Vickers-Armstrong at their Castle
Bromwich factory and flown to 33MU (RAF Lyneham)07/05/1945 for
pre-delivery checks before entering service with A&AEE on 30/08/1945.
Transferred to the Vickers Armstrong plant at South Marston
on 14/10/1946 (delivered by Sqn Ldr John Derry, a famous test
pilot) for modifications. On completion was assigned to 6MU at
Brize Norton for storage on 04/05/1947. PK315 re-entered
squadron service with 607Sqn at Ouston on 13/01/1949. On 04/12/1949, Pilot Officer Leslie Oates took off from RAF Ouston with five other aircraft to practice formation flying. While in level flight the other pilots watched on as Oates aircraft left the formation pattern and dived into the North Sea off Beadnell, Northumberland. The subsequent court of inquiry took the view that "aircraft crashed by pilot losing consciousness through severe lack of oxygen at high altitude. No indication as to cause of lack of oxygen, but considered unlikely due to fault in the system" P/O Oates (a reservist) body was never found. He classified as missing, presumed dead |