The Mk1 Spitfire At Grangemouth

The Memorial Spitfire on display here is a replica of Mk1. X 4859. the 1,366th Spitfire built ar the Vickers-Supermarine factory in Eastleigh. It was part of an order of 500 Spitfire Mk1s dated 9th June 1940. Spitfire X4859 first flew on 17th December 1940 and was originally  assigned to 308 Squadron but later moved to 129 Squadron. The plane her 58 Operational Training Unit designation as PQ-N and flew into Grangemouth on 15 September 1941.  Unfortunately, just over two months far X4859 crashed over Avondale estate, Polmont, killing Sergeant Eugeniusz Lukomski

Sergeant Pilot Eugeniusz Lukomski

After the fall of Poland Sergeant Eugeniusz Lukmski escaped to France. In 1940 he was withdrawn to England with the Free Polish Forces and under RAF command trained as an air gunner. Volunteering for RAF Fighter Command, Sergeant Lukcomski moved to Grangemouth. On 24 November 1941 while engaged with Spitfire X4859 in a flying formation exercise, Sergeant Lukomski broke formation during a turn prior to landing and entered a wisp of cloud. The plane went into a spin and, with insufficient height to recover, crashed in Avondale estate, Polmont. Men from the Officers’ Mess at Avondale House rescued the pilot who was unconscious but he died at 2pm shortly after being admitted to the medical facility at Polmont Park. Sergeant Lukomski was 23 years old and is buried in Grandsable Cemetery