Operation: Training

Date: 01st July 1949 (Friday)

Unit: No. 237 Operational Conversion Unit

Type: Spitfire PRXIX

Serial: PS925

Code: -

Base: RAF Leuchars, Fife, Scotland

Location: At field RAF Leuchars

Pilot: W/O. Wacław Frączek 792124 RAF Age 28. Killed

REASON FOR LOSS:

Shortly after take off after having been airborne for just 10 minutes he requested permission to land. The controllers gave it but he never acknowledged.

The aircraft was then seen to spin into the ground from about 800 ft - killing the Polish pilot. It was established that he had suffered an engine problem.

During the war he trained at 58 OTU, Grangemouth, Scotland, then served with 317 (P) Squadron.

Taken on or about 06th May 1942. Front row: Sgt. Werner Ryszard Kirchner 783095, P/O. Adam Tadeusz Habela 783464 (KIA), P/O. Zdzisław Uchwat 783580, P/O. Zygmunt Jan Nentwich 793933, P/O. Czesław Jan Mroczyk 784807, P/O. Bronisław Jerzy Skibinski P-0289, Sgt. Tadeusz Lubicz-Lisowski 781410 (KIA).

Centre Row: Sgt. Wacław Korwel 783144, Sgt. Stanisław Domanski 782357 (KIA), Sgt. Gajewski, Sgt. Janusz Stanisław Marian Bzowski 781616, Sgt. Wacław Fraczek 792124, Sgt. Aleksander Kwasniewski 793827.

Rear Row: Sgt. Kazimierz Benzinski 792134, Sgt. Wiktor Piotr Karasinski 793871, Sgt. Jaroslav Slepica, Sgt. Franciszek Stanisław Malczewski 780950, Sgt. Josef Blaha 788010 (KIA), Sgt. Leon Zygarlicki 783220 (KIA), Wiktor Piotr Karasinski 793871.

Burial details:

W/O. Wacław Frączek. Leuchars Cemetery. Born on the 02nd January 1920 at Lelowice, Proszowice, Poland. No further details.

Grave photo courtesy 'The Family Genealogist'. For further details our thanks to the following sources shown below.