Woman flies over Yorkshire in Spitfire 80 years after uncle survived wartime crash

On July 30 1944, shortly after D-Day, the Mk 9 Spitfire ML295, assigned to the Royal Canadian Air Force 411 ‘Grizzly Bears’ Squadron, crashed in Normandy. The pilot, Harold Kramer, survived, but the aircraft never flew again.

After the war the aircraft remained where it had landed until it was excavated in the 1980s and went on to be displayed in museums around Normandy.

Seven years ago, aircraft enthusiast Graham Oliver, 61, began a £3m project to restore the Spitfire and brought the remains of ML295 back from France to England. It flew again for the first time two years ago.

Retired payroll administrator Cindy Sumbler, 67, and niece of Harold Kramer has now flown in his plane after travelling from her home in New York.

She said: “Harold was my mother’s brother. It’s so emotional to be going up – so many years later – in the actual aircraft he flew. I’m afraid of heights but I’m going up in honour of Uncle Harold. I never thought I’d get the opportunity to come over here and do something like this.”

Other members of Ms Sumbler’s family also came to mark the anniversary of Harold’s lucky escape, including her cousin Jeffrey Pietz.

Mr Oliver described the extent of the restoration work. “The tail-section was completely missing and many bits were unusable but we managed to use some of the original airworthy-parts including the cockpit-surround, inboard flaps, gear selector, some of the gauges and parts of the undercarriage,” he said .

And Colin Andrews, who runs The Great British Watch Company from his workshop near Chester, has made nearly 100 watches from parts of the Spitfire.

He said: “My cousin is a friend of Graham's. I was looking for an interesting project so I was thrilled to be given some bits of the wing – one piece has a shell-hole in it. But I’ve managed to find enough good parts to make the dials and hands for nearly 100 watches – it’s the first time parts from a Spitfire have been used as an integral part of a watch.

“The watches are from ‘The Few’ collection. And ‘Harold Kramer’ and the names of the other 11 pilots who flew the Spitfire are engraved on the back of each one."

Mr Andrews said: “‘The Few’ retails for £19,950. Each one comes in a display box made from the same wood as Spitfire propellers." They also come with a leather strap, handmade silver buckle, matching cufflinks – also made from original wing parts, and a silk ‘escape map’ – a replica of those issued to Spitfire pilots and Mr Andrews’ book about this and other Spitfires, which he is writing

He has already taken orders for 57 of the initial 60 wrist watches he is making.

Spitfire ML295 is now based in Yorkshire. Flight experiences can be booked at www.spitfires.com and watches are available at www.great-british-watch.co.uk.​​​​​​​