On 8th July 1943, Supermarine Spitfire BL852 PK-L crash landed at RAF Ballyhalbert, Co. Down. The Mark V fighter plane was on a training flight in the hands of a Polish fighter pilot.
Spitfire BL852’s engines lost power on a training flight. The RAF had the plane written off after the accident. Polish Air Force pilot Sergeant F Malczewski of RAF 315 (City of Deblin) Squadron escaped injured.
This Mark IX Spitfire flew in the following squadrons: RAF 402 Squadron from 9th March 1942, RAF 312 Squadron from 3rd May 1942, RAF 403 Squadron from 21st August 1942, RAF 416 Squadron from 3rd June 1943, RAF 19 Squadron from 7th June 1943, and finally RAF 315 Squadron.