|
Re: Details required on Spitfire's JL212/V and W
Hello Brian,
Thank you for this explanation - it does cover all six of the captured aircraft - the 5 from 74 Sqdn and 1 from 7 SAAF. It also covers the reason for the aircraft not coming under Czeck AF for accounting.
What it does not explain is the aircrafts link from 451 Sqdn to 74 Sqdn ?
From what little I have read on 451 Sqdn it was basically a Defence Unit and made only IIRC one major operation in July 43 to Crete, with heavy losses so perhaps this a/c made some kind of early landing instead of return to Egypt and so got taken over by 74 Sqdn or left with the other four and the one 7 SAAF Spitfire's ?
451 Sqdn only received its Spitfire Vc's from around March 43 I beleive.
Also I note that 74 Sqdn did have JL312 on charge which went on to serve with 336 Sqdn. I just wonder if over time JL312 has been mixed up to become the Czeck JL212 ?
But
AB's JA100-JZ999 has:
JL312 - 74/336 - Stalled on approach and undercarriage collapsed Biferno, 10.10.44.
So IMHO this a/c did not serve with 74 Sqdn until after the Kos episode.
Also it is not listed in the Greek section in AB's Spitfire International ?
Has anyone got details of :
JL312's Greek service ?
And
JL212's 451 and 74 Sqdn service ?
Thank you
Alex
|