PRU Spitfires losses 1941
 

Hi guys

On 9 june 1941 Spifire PR.III X4496 flown by Plt Off I.B. Cooper failed to return from a sortie to the Norwegian coast.

On 1 September 1941 Spitfire PR.V X4500 flown by Flg Off C.C. Blair similarly failed to return from same general area.

Do we know the causes of their respective loss?

Cheers
Brian

Re: PRU Spitfires losses 1941
 

According to the book '' Sea Eagles '' F/O Blair was shot down by Johannes Ranwig who was flyng a Bf 109 T of Jagdgruppe Drontheim

Regards
Brian Bines

As Laurent says Cooper is buried at Ockero Sweden search under 'raf airmen buried Okero sweden ww2 ' should come up under Key Aero has some details on him . I do not know if this was his crash site or where his body was found .

Re: PRU Spitfires losses 1941
 

According to the Coastal Command Losses book by Roos McNeil, Cooper crashed at Ockero, Sweden. Cause is listed as unknown on some Internet websites.

Re: PRU Spitfires losses 1941
 

Re: PRU Spitfires losses 1941
 

Many thanks, guys

All news to me and now gratefully recorded in forthcoming "Air War over the Arctic" (Pen & Sword).

Cheers
Brian

Re: PRU Spitfires losses 1941
 

Ivor Brian Cooper aged 20 was the son of Brian and Ruth Doris Cooper of Merrivale , Natal South Africa. He had come to England to study Agriculture enlisting at the start of the war in the RAFVR no 61289 .

Re: PRU Spitfires losses 1941
 

X4496 flown by Cooper was a Spitfire I PR Type F, the PR.III designation didn't exist at this time and in any case it would retrospectively be called a PR.VI

X4500 was a Spitfire V PR Type F

Re: PRU Spitfires losses 1941
 

Many thanks

Brian

Re: PRU Spitfires losses 1941
 

The statements on that site is full of errors when it comes to P/O Cooper's demise.

Öckerö does not face into the North Sea. Correct is Kattegatt
Cooper certainly did not crash anywhere near Sweden. His body was found three months later by a local
fisherman.
Water from the North Sea drifts from the North Sea into Skagerack and via Kattegatt into the Baltic Sea
and undercurrents back out again.
Bodies can be carried by currents a long, long way

I have told Brian the Swedish facts

B Rgds
Stig

Re: PRU Spitfires losses 1941
 

So are these truly Arctic losses?