COLLISION OF A KITTYHAWK AND A SPITFIRE
10 MILES NORTH OF MILDURA AIRFIELD
ON 26 MARCH 1944

At 1215 hrs E.A.S.T. on 26 March 1944, F.VC Spitfire A58-123 (EE713) piloted by F/O Frederick John Inger (031424), had a mid-air collision with P-40E Kittyhawk A29-22 piloted by Sgt. Arthur Ronald Ross (433226) at a location 10 miles north of Mildura airfield.  

A58-123 was flying towards Gol Gol Range to carry out air to ground gunnery exercise when A29-22 of 2 OTU RAAF collided with him. Sgt Ross was killed in this accident.

Spitfire A58-123 was severely damaged by the collision resulting in damage to portion of the fuselage rear of the cockpit canopy, and the starboard wing tip. F/O Inger carried out a successful landing at Mildura. F/O Inger (Ex 7SFTS, part of the No29 operational Training Course) was injured slightly

Photo:- via Bruce Walker

Fred Inger in his Spitfire at Sattler Airfield possibly in 1944

NOTE:- I initially had incorrectly shown the Kitthawk involved in this collision as A29-12 based on an incorrect title on a file in National Archives - Series A705, Control Symbol 166/36/226, Barcode 1075747.

REFERENCES

Preliminary Report of Flying Accident or Forced Landing

ADF Serials - RAAF A58 Supermarine Spitfire

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I'd like to thank Gordon Clarke and Bruce Walker for their assistance with this home page.

Can anyone help me with more information on this crash?

"Australia @ War" WWII Research Products

This page first produced 20 March 2003

This page last updated 27 January 2020