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Amy Johnson: Plane fragment sold to Kent Battle of Britain Museum

Hansons Auctioneers/PA Media The fragment with a note saying what it isHansons Auctioneers/PA Media
The 83-year-old segment of the plane was successfully purchased by the Kent Battle of Britain Museum for £3,673.60

The only known fragment of wreckage from the last plane flown by pioneering British aviator Amy Johnson in 1941 has been bought by a British war museum.

The 83-year-old segment of the plane was purchased by the Kent Battle of Britain Museum for £3,673.60.

Ms Johnson, who was the first woman to fly solo from London to Australia, died in a plane crash in January, 1941.

It was reported the aircraft had been mistakenly shot down over the Thames Estuary near Herne Bay.

Ms Johnson had been forced to bail out. Her body has never been found.

At the time, she had been piloting an Airspeed Oxford for the Air Transport Auxiliary (ATA) from Prestwick to RAF Kidlington, near Oxford.

The fragment was part of the plane's parachute exit door, which the aviator would have used to leap from,

Dave Brocklehurst, chairman at the museum, said: "We're delighted to secure this item. It will join the Air Transport Auxiliary display."

Matt Crowson, head of militaria at Hansons auctions, which sold the fragment, said: "We're delighted this amazing find will be preserved for posterity in Kent.

"There was huge interest in this item, and deservedly so."

He said he was "amazed" to get an email asking if he was interested in the fragment.

PA Media Amy Johnson in her planePA Media
The crash in which Ms Johnson died was originally blamed on bad weather but was later claimed it was due to friendly fire

Mr Crowson also paid tribute to Ms Johnson, saying "she broke the mould for women and raised expectations about what they could achieve in life".

The crash where Ms Johnson died was originally blamed on bad weather but was later claimed it was due to friendly fire.

At the time Tom Mitchell claimed to have shot down Ms Johnson's plane saying it had not provided the correct identification code.

He said: "Sixteen rounds of shells were fired and the plane dived into the Thames Estuary.

"We all thought it was an enemy plane until the next day when we read the papers and discovered it was Amy.

"The officers told us never to tell anyone what happened."

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