UK: Spitfire makes belly landing in Kent ahead of VE Day festivities Photo/Video

A historic Second World War Spitfire has made an emergency landing in a field in Kent, South East England, just hours before the VE Day celebrations were due to begin.

The rare 82-year-old aircraft, a two-seater fighter, touched down on its belly in a crop field near West Hythe, close to Folkestone, on May 3, Caliber.Az reports per foreign media.

While the propellers sustained visible damage, the airframe remained largely intact.

This is the dramatic moment staycationers at a caravan park heard a Spitfire misfire before finding it had crash-landed in a nearby field pic.twitter.com/XHvqxyN8PU

— KentOnline (@Kent_Online) May 4, 2025

Fortunately, both the pilot and the passenger were unharmed, according to the vintage flight experience company that operates the Spitfire. Kent Fire and Rescue Service dispatched two fire engines to the scene to ensure the area was safe, and one individual received care from paramedics. Fire crews left the site by approximately 9 pm.

The exact cause of the emergency landing remains unclear, with an investigation expected to follow.

The Spitfire involved, a Mark IXc model built in 1943, holds considerable historical value. It originally served with the Royal Canadian Air Force’s 441 Squadron and flew its first operational mission in September 1944. Notably, it shot down a German fighter during Operation Market Garden over Arnhem in the Netherlands just days later. The aircraft was later converted into a T9 two-seater trainer.

The vintage flight experience company, Fly a Spitfire, which operates the aircraft from Biggin Hill in southeast London, issued a statement confirming the emergency landing was a precautionary measure at a non-airfield site. The company also confirmed the safety of the pilot and passenger but declined to provide further details at this stage. Flight operations will continue as scheduled.

The incident has drawn renewed attention to the historical significance of the Spitfire, a pivotal figure in the British victory during the Battle of Britain and the Second World War overall.

By Aghakazim Guliyev