SPITFIRE CRASH
Newhaven - 12 July 1944
By Carol Walton
Does anyone have any memories/details of the spitfire which came down in Newhaven in July 1944? On that day a V1 was observed with a spitfire XIV in hot pursuit. Following a burst of gunfire the doodlebug exploded in mid air. The spitfire was damaged in the blast and the pilot, losing control, prepared to bale out. Realising his plane would have hit the town, the pilot, George McKinlay, crash landed to the east of the town and unfortunately died in the crash.