Spitfire MkIA from 610th Sqn. RAF
 

Who could be a pilot of Spitfire Mk.Ia DW-O with serial L1043 that was used by 610th Sqn. RAF during the period of July of 1940 ??

Re: Spitfire MkIA from 610th Sqn. RAF
 

L1043 Ia 258 EA MIII
FF 3-7-39
19MU 7-7-39
610S 'DW-O' 6-12-39
266S 18-6-40
7OTU 9-9-40
57OTU FAC2 24-9-40 Hit tree on approach Hawarden 12-8-41
SOC 18-8-41

Re: Spitfire MkIA from 610th Sqn. RAF
 

"Aces High" has Ellis, 610 Sqn - 24th July '40 - claim for an e/a in a/c "O", serial number R6595.
So what became of "O", L1043 at this time ? Was she still "O" or did she carry another a/c in Sqdn letter ?

Re: Spitfire MkIA from 610th Sqn. RAF
 

That there were two "DW-O" Spitfires with different serials at the same time??

Re: Spitfire MkIA from 610th Sqn. RAF
 

Alex

As per your own table, L1043 was with 266 Sq on 24.7.1940 when R6595 was DW-O with 610 Sq.
So if your table is correct then L1043 cannot have been with 610 Sq in July as per Lucass original request.

Cheers
Stig

Re: Spitfire MkIA from 610th Sqn. RAF
 

Hello Stig,
Well spotted, I overlooked the date disconnect.

However there is also a ? on R6595, see the Spitfire database production list, there is no mention of 610 Sqn.

"R6595 Ia 679 EA MIII FF 7-5-40 8MU 9-5-40 PDU 28-5-40 VAEA 4-6-40 PDU 28-7-40 Damaged by Bf109 over Folkestone and crashed on approach Hawkinge 26-8-40".

Also it is not listed in the 610 Squadron list either ?

Alex

Re: Spitfire MkIA from 610th Sqn. RAF
 

Well Alex

Most of my sources have R6595 assigned to 610 Sq (Halley/Air Britain R1000-R9999 booklet and Franks RAF Fighter Command Losses).

One source which does not is Morgan/Shacklady Spitfire The History.
As far as I understand the internet Spitfire site is mostly a copy of their book, probably also updated with the second version of said book (I only have the first)

In the past I have found that Morgan/Shacklady differs from Halley at some points, possibly because the record cards are hard to read. I also find both the Spitfire site and Spitfire the History hard to read due to the enourmous amount of short forms/abbreviations.

BTW what is actually VAEA (Morgan/Shacklady says VEA in their book)??
No explanation in the book, since only VA is listed and stands for Vickers-Armstrong.

Sorry to say I don't know what you mean with 610 Sq list, so I cannot comment that....

Cheers
Stig

Re: Spitfire MkIA from 610th Sqn. RAF
 

Hello Stig,


, if I remember correctly ( other will correct me I'm sure if I am wrong) :)

PDU
Photographic Development Unit.

VAEA

Vickers Armstrong Eastleigh Airadrome.

Alex

Re: Spitfire MkIA from 610th Sqn. RAF
 

Thanks Alex

Yes PDU is a well known abbreviation.

Thanks also for the added info regarding what EA stands for. I suspected it could be something added to Vickers Armstrong, but had nothing to show for my thoughts...:o

Well, since I don't believe Jim Halley took 610 Sq out of a Top Hat I am still rather convinced 610 Sq used the aircraft. Perhaps it was so new and lost almost immediately after delivery, that the ORB never recorded it?

Cheers
Stig

Re: Spitfire MkIA from 610th Sqn. RAF
 

I have P/O Frank Kinnersley Webster involved in the crash of R6595.

http://www.bbm.org.uk/airmen/WebsterFK.htm

Re: Spitfire MkIA from 610th Sqn. RAF
 

As others have mentioned L1043 left 610 before the BoB officially started. The famous photo of her in flight is sometimes quoted as being taken during the BoB but it's not, it's from early June. To find out who piloted the airframe it's very easy, just go over to the National Archives site and download the ORB records for the months that L1043 was with 610, these will list all operational flights with the airframe and the pilot flying.

A little piece of trivia, L1043 had the fin flash applied incorrectly, so with the blue on the leading edge rather than the red. It's also possible she was wearing one of the darker squadron applied approximations of Sky on the undersides - this at a time when stocks of the new colour were still very scarce. Paul Lucas has postulated that it's possibly BS 361 (1930) No.1 Sky Blue but that is by no means certain nor definite.

Cheers,

Tim

Re: Spitfire MkIA from 610th Sqn. RAF
 

Hi,
According to the ORB F K Webster was flying spitfire X4011 on the day he was killed at Hawkinge.
I will let the owner of the BBM website know.
Gerry

Re: Spitfire MkIA from 610th Sqn. RAF
 

Good info thanks.