THIS IS FINDON VILLAGE — www.findonvillage.com  created by Valerie Martin, contains scenes from her home village of Findon, West Sussex, U.K.

THE PUZZLE OF THE MILL HOUSE PR SPITFIRE — 4th June 1941

Copyright Valerie Martin 2010
 

The idea of a lone high-speed high flying Photographic Reconnaissance aircraft sneaking through German defences to photograph selected targets, and then high tailing back home, was a radical departure from their normal duties.  Photo-reconnaissance Spitfires were resplendent in low visibility blue livery and had their armament removed for lightness.   There was a camera positioned in each wing and they could reach a maximum top speed touching 400 mph. 

On 4th June 1941, one such aircraft, with its pilot obviously in trouble, roared out of the clouds over Findon, its familiar whistle making anyone out of doors glance up.  Its dark shadow flashed across the green downland like a dart.  The pilot, made for open country to the north east of the village and descended on the flinty track near The Mill House, to the north of Cissbury Ring.   (I wonder what happened to the pilot?)  

The late Tony Hammond, who was a boy at the time, remembers the aircraft painted a beautiful shade of blue.  There was great excitement among the village children who raced puffing and panting over the Downs to the scene to see the remains of this dream machine and actually touch one of the famous Spitfires.   The versatility, grace and sheer beauty of the aircraft immortalised it in the hearts of millions until today.

The question remains to this day and niggles me..... the blue Photographic Reconnaissance Spitfire was more than likely to have been on a secret mission at the time.  Its cameras were top secret and might have contained valuable film.   Where was it going?  Or where had it returned from.... to be over Findon?   Even today no information is documented or available.

Continue to read about the Hawker Typhoon Crash on the Findon Downs

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This is Findon Village — www.findonvillage.com is a continually growing record created by Valerie Martin exclusively for documenting life in Findon.