On 25th May 1942, Spitfire BL325 crash-landed near Cordrain Orange Hall, Tandragee, Co. Armagh. The Mark VB fighter plane was from Royal Air Force 504 Squadron based at RAF Kirkistown, Co. Down.
The RAF 504 Squadron Spitfire had been at RAF Kirkistown, Co. Down for over a month having arrived on 22nd April 1942. Manufactured at Castle Bromwich Aircraft Factory, Spitfire BL325 first flew with RAF No. 8 Maintenance Unit. It arrived at RAF Little Rissington, Gloucestershire on 15th November 1941.
On 23rd November 1941, the Spitfire transferred to RAF 74 Squadron in northern England. Their next move was to RAF Ballyhalbert, Co. Down in February and March 1942. From there, they escorted US Army convoys as troops ships arrived in Northern Ireland laden with American GIs. After a few months, the plane then moved to RAF 504 Squadron.
RAF 504 Squadron arrived at RAF Ballyhalbert, Co. Down on 26th October 1941. On arrival, strong crosswinds damaged 7 of their Hawker Hurricanes. They soon converted to Supermarine Spitfires. On 22nd January 1942, the squadron moved to Ballyhalbert’s satellite site at RAF Kirkistown, Co. Down.
Reports suggest a Sergeant Farrell as the pilot although records from RAF 504 Squadron do not name the pilot. The squadron recorded no casualties that day so the pilot likely survived the crash landing on the outskirts of Tandragee, Co. Armagh.
Richard Newell recalls the incident in his book ‘Tandragee Remembers’. The plane was part of a coordinated manoeuvres training exercise with ground troops. While flying at a low altitude, the pilot clipped a tree causing the plane to come down wheels up in a field.
At the time, authorities declared the damage as Category B meaning it was beyond repair at the crash site but there was potential for salvage at a repair facility or maintenance unit. When taken to Short and Harland, Belfast, Co. Antrim, they recategorised the plane CE and struck it off on 3rd June 1942. Supermarine Spitfire BL325 had clocked up 72.5 flying hours at the time of the crash.