American Spitfire MK XI MB 948 "Oh Johnnie"
 

Re: American Spitfire MK XI MB 948 "Oh Johnnie"
 

Thank you very much! Just work on book about PR Spitfires and this one would be nice subject for color profile ;)

Re: American Spitfire MK XI MB 948 "Oh Johnnie"
 

Srecko here is another view of Oh Johnnie:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/2455401...7619911531715/

Re: American Spitfire MK XI MB 948 "Oh Johnnie"
 

Hello Scott,

MB948 is one of the prettiest Spitfires I ever see. Really wonderful picture.
I was watching your Album again and may I ask you and if you or your father do know what happened to 1/Lt John R Richards ( one of only two airmen from 7th PRG to be awarded the DSC )? Was he decorated with this medal for his 6th August 1944 mission over Germany ( again covered on your Album )?
Please, DO transmit to your father my most sincere regards for what they did..."unarmed, alone and unafraid" over the skies of Europe...a trully beautiful page of Aviation...unfortunately forgotten by so many!
Yours
Adriano

Re: American Spitfire MK XI MB 948 "Oh Johnnie"
 

Hello Adriano

According to my father the extremely modest Richards didn't know why he was awarded the DSC. My father had great respect for Richards as Richards stayed in England and continued flying missions when he
could have gone home. Richards is still alive BTW although in failing health. Oh Johnnie was supposedly assigned to my father but was flown at various times by most of the pilots in the 14th Squadron.

Cheers
Scott Blyth

Re: American Spitfire MK XI MB 948 "Oh Johnnie"
 

Scott,
Sent you a PM. Thanks for the information about Richards. Glad to hear he was and still is a modest man.
Adriano

Re: American Spitfire MK XI MB 948 "Oh Johnnie"
 

Hi Scott,

Do you have information relating to Lt Gilmore ? He took off on September 8, 1944 with the Belgian Lt Goffin on the same mission above the Siegfried Line. Thanks for your help.

Re: American Spitfire MK XI MB 948 "Oh Johnnie"
 

Hello Montana

I know a lot more about Goffin than I do about Lt. Louis Gilmore. It appears that Gilmore flew F-5s with the 13th Squadron and then transferred to the 14th Squadron in July 1944. He initially flew F-5s with the 14th and did his first mission in a Spitfire on August 7th. He was flying PA842. He subequently flew PA892 and then PA944 on a number of missions:

www.dav32.com


He flew MB950 on August 26. He flew MB955 on the Siegried Line Mission on September 8th. Goffin flew MB952 on his 33rd and lat mission. A very sad day for the 14th Squadron. Gilmore actually flew MB948 "Oh Johnnie" on September 11, 1944 and that is where I ran out of time.

Anyway I will check with my father to see if he knew Gilmore. Here is the only photo I can find of him:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/2455401...7613174468298/

All the best
Scott

Re: American Spitfire MK XI MB 948 "Oh Johnnie"
 

Thank you very much! I have created profile in regard to your files and forwarded to authors. I have give proper credit to you and hope that the same would not be missed in book.

Cheers :)

Re: American Spitfire MK XI MB 948 "Oh Johnnie"
 

Hi Pilot,

What is the book on PR Spitfires you mention?

Best Regards

Andy Fletcher

Re: American Spitfire MK XI MB 948 "Oh Johnnie"
 

Not sure in whole details, my friend work on it. I just work on profiles, here you are work in progress page:

http://www.letletlet-warplanes.com/f...pru-spitfires/

Please feel free to contact me on PM on this forum if you want to contact with author of the book.

Cheers :)

Srecko Bradic, Serbia

Re: American Spitfire MK XI MB 948 "Oh Johnnie"
 

Hello Blythsco,

what actually happened with Lt. Goffin on 8th Sept.'44 ?
What was the mission of Lt. Gilmore on 11th Sept.'44 . Did he flew afterwards again flew this particular Sptifire ß

Thanks for assisting.

Karl.

Re: American Spitfire MK XI MB 948 "Oh Johnnie"
 

Hello Horrido

The answer to what happened to Goffin probably lies on the German side. There are reports that he was downed by flak but the official reason is still listed as unknown. What we do know is that he crashed near Reckange Friday morning September 8, 1944. He was reportedly in control of the aircraft and tried to belly in on a country road but was not successful. He was horribly burned and his remains were hidden by local resistance fighters who honored him with a temporary grave. It would be nice to know if the flak theory is correct or if he was intercepted by fighters.

Gilmore's mission on the 11th of September was reportedly Koblenz-Giessen.

Cheers
Scott Blyth

Re: American Spitfire MK XI MB 948 "Oh Johnnie"
 

Hello Scott,

many thanks for this information. Do you know by chance which colour scheme were used on Spit's on 14th squadron ac ? Would it be the same as for British reconnaissance Spitfires ?

Greetings,

Karl

Re: American Spitfire MK XI MB 948 "Oh Johnnie"
 

Hello Karl

At least for 1944 the 14th Squadron Spits were PRU blue which was the same as the RAF photo recce Spits. You will find two examples in this Flickr set:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/2455401...7619911531715/

Cheers

Scott Blyth

For more on PA944 go here:

www.dav32.com