Luftwaffe and Allied Air Forces Discussion Forum

Luftwaffe and Allied Air Forces Discussion Forum (http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/index.php)
-   Allied and Soviet Air Forces (http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/forumdisplay.php?f=7)
-   -   Color footage in Italy (http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/showthread.php?t=37309)

John Beaman 26th March 2014 15:19
Color footage in Italy
 
May have been seen before but beautiful color footage somewhere in Italy.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1i2iAti23I0

Graham Boak 26th March 2014 15:53
Re: Color footage in Italy
 
DS is the personal code of Wing Cdr Duncan Smith, father(?) of the current prominent Tory politician.

Nick Beale 26th March 2014 17:50
Re: Color footage in Italy
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Graham Boak (Post 182170)
Wing Cdr Duncan Smith, father(?) of the current prominent Tory politician.
... and author of the memoir "Spitfire Into Battle." At least one of the family was good at his job!

SMF144 27th March 2014 03:31
Re: Color footage in Italy
 
Wow. Nice stuff. Thanks for sharing John.

Tom Semenza 27th March 2014 14:45
Re: Color footage in Italy
 
Thanks for posting that link, John. Beautiful color!

As Graham pointed out, 'DS' was the mount of Duncan-Smith. At the time he was a Group Capt. and CO of 324 Wing. I believe that's him with the sunglasses smoking a cigarette while in conversation with the USAAF guys. Can't see the serial number on the film but one of his Mk. IXs was MH884.

The other Spitfires are from 154 Sqn. which was based on Corsica from April to August 1944 before moving to southern France. On the film I could make out the following code-serial combinations:

HT-E ??713 (perhaps MK)
HT-G ??762 (perhaps MA)
HT-P MK152
HT-V ??629 (probably MK)
HT-W MJ730

Does anyone know the unit to which the P-51s belonged? They have a two letter code on their fuselages but no other markings other than the typical Med red spinner and yellow wing bands. Presumably they are with the 12th AF, possibly F-6Bs of the 111th TRS.

Cheers,
Tom

John Beaman 27th March 2014 15:45
Re: Color footage in Italy
 
Tom, I was told by my source, Sam Sox that they were the 111th.

Tom Semenza 27th March 2014 18:33
Re: Color footage in Italy
 
Thanks, John. I was unfamiliar with the markings that unit used.

Gianandrea Bussi 27th March 2014 18:54
Re: Color footage in Italy
 
I think that it had been shot in Corsica, not in Italy. The shape of the hangars seems different from that one of the italian hangars. I don't recognize the field (with those mountain so close to the see) as italian.

Gianandrea

John Beaman 27th March 2014 21:02
Re: Color footage in Italy
 
Well, if anyone knows where 154 Sq. and 111th Rec served that might help.

udf_00 27th March 2014 21:11
Re: Color footage in Italy
 
MJ 730 : May 9, 1944, 154 Squadron, RAF - Poretta, Corsica - coded HT-W
http://109lair.hobbyvista.com/DETAIL...mj730/mkix.htm
Filmed by William Wyler & John Sturges.

Buckeye30 30th March 2014 11:44
Re: Color footage in Italy
 
The 111TRS originally used flight letter ( A-B-C) plus aircraft letter in Italy, then N plus aircraft letter on their F-6Cs; 42-103578 NJ "Val Gal II" is thought to be the first aircraft to land in S. France Aug. 1944. They transferred from Twelfth AF in Italy to France in August ( to the Provisional Recon. Group ) which was designated as the 69th TRG in April 1945 when code was changed to N5 plus letter. They usually had thin red diagonal tail stripes. Note the camera ports on the F-6s.
The yellow rudder B-17 is 463BG, the P-47s from the 57FG with their yellow tail and wing bands.
Nick

franck 5th April 2014 13:31
Re: Color footage in Italy
 
2 Attachment(s)
Hello,

The 154 Squadron Spitfires pictures have been taken at Calvi/Calenzana airfield where the squadron was assigned until august 1944 if I remembrer well. Attached a picture taken few years ago from the area (not far from home), you can compare the mountains shape in the background.

The B-17 (44-6283) also is taken at Calvi, but at Fiume Seccu airstrip 2 miles west from Calenzana. Fiume Seccu was built by the french air ministry just before the WWII (for GAM or GAR 550 unit). From december 1943, it was used by the AAF 52nd F.G. ./4thF.S. until march/april 1944.

During the 1944 era, Calvi Had 3 airstrips scattered on a verry close area :

- Calvi Ste Catherine (RAF 237Sqn, 451Sqn and AAF transport etc... still in use today), - Calvi/Calenzana (154Sqn, 93Sqn, 111thSqn, 242Sqn - if Im right ? - abandoned)
- Calvi/Fiume Seccu (52nd F.G and occasional strip for emergency by AAF/RAF from summer 1944 - still used as a drop zone by the french foreign legion 2e REP based just there)...

And thank you for that extraordinary footage.. I don't remember the B-17 in the William Wyler film ! Perhaps it's a rush ?

Regards Franck

franck 5th April 2014 14:23
Re: Color footage in Italy
 
Calvi Corsica island (France) of course ....


All times are GMT +2. The time now is 17:22.

Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.7.2
Copyright ©2000 - 2026, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Copyright ©2004 - 2018, 12oclockhigh.net