Spitfire crashes in Lincolnshire field during horror at Battle of Britain airshow
25 May 2024, 16:09 | Updated: 25 May 2024, 16:43
A Spitfire has crashed in a field in Lincolnshire, at a Battle of Britain airshow, police report.
Listen to this article
Loading audio...
Emergency crews headed to the scene in Coningsby after reports that the aircraft went down just after 1.20pm.
In a statement Lincolnshire police said: “It is believed to be a single occupant aircraft and nobody else is thought to have been involved.”
The Air Accidents Investigation Branch said it knew about the incident but was not involved as it was a military investigation.
Only the pilot is thought to have been involved in the incident.
Police have confirmed the location of the aircraft crash as a field on Langrick Road in Congingsby.
Read More: Iran’s supreme leader leads prayers for president killed in helicopter crash
The force has put road closures are in place in the areas of Dogdyke Road and Sandy Bank and it is asking motorists to avoid the area and seek different routes.
Additional updates about the course are expected imminently.
The Land, Tank and Military Machines event took place in the airfield today.
The preview for the event said it was scheduled to include flying displays by a Spitfire and other aircraft that were utilised by the RAF during the Second World War, like a Hawker Hurricane and a Avro Lancaster PA474.
The Royal Air Force issued a statement, saying: "We are aware of an incident in the vicinity of RAF Coningsby involving an RAF aircraft.
— Royal Air Force (@RoyalAirForce) May 25, 2024
"We are working with the emergency services and supporting those involved. An update will be provided in due course.
"If you were a witness or have any imagery of the incident please do not post it online, and instead contact Lincolnshire Police on 101 quoting Incident 221."
The Ministry of Defence said it had no comment to make at this time, but a statement would be issued later today.
RAF Coningsby is the training station for Typhoon pilots and has two frontline combat-ready squadrons.
It also hosts the RAF Battle of Britain memorial flight, which aims to maintain historic aircraft in “airworthy condition” to commemorate RAF members who lost their lives in service.
The scheme has six Spitfires, two Hurricanes, a Lancaster, a C47 Dakota, and two Chipmunk aircraft, which are mostly used for training purposes.
The aircraft are flown by regular RAF crew and can be regularly seen in the sky from May to September.
The airfield was opened in 1941 and was a Bomber Command station until the early 1960s.
