RAF Eshott - 57 Operational Training Unit

57 Operational Training Unit

Formed in No. 10 Group from No.7 Maintenance Unit at Hawarden to train
single-seat fighter pilots with Supermarine Spitfires and Miles Masters
trainers. The training at an OTU was in effect a postgraduate course as all
air crew taking part were qualified to wear their appropriate badges. Airmen
trained together, being taught to work on the actual type that they were to
fly on an operational squadron. The unit moved to RAF Eshott on 10/11/1942.

aircraft based at the former raf eshott 

In December 1943 the operational strength of RAF Eshott was as follows:

// 77 x Supermarine Spitfire
// 9   x Miles Master Mk1
// 1   x Miles Master Mk2
// 10 x Miles Master Mk3
// 6   x Miles Martinets
// 1    x Airspeed Oxford
// 1    x Dominie
// 2   x Magisters
// 1   x Tiger Moth

P7350 - the raf Eshott supermarine spitfire

Three Spitfires remain flying in the World from WWII, but P7350 is by far the most famous - the 14th Spitfire off the construction line.  Spitfire P7350 saw active service and is the only Spitfire that remains flying which actually saw active service in the Battle of Britain.  The aircraft was dramatically shot down by a BF109 in 1940 but was returned to flight where she was used to train budding fighter pilots with
57 OTU at RAF Eshott.    

With thanks to Martin Pengelly for his research.