Quote:
Originally Posted by VtwinVince
Claim 5 is very early for a Spitfire.
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It was possibly a Hurricane - we all know that both types very often were mixed up by German aircrew including fighter pilots. But it was possibly a Spitfire all right. The location at or near Dunkerque makes it possible. Operation "Dynamo" (the Dkq. troop evacuation over the sea) started first on 26 May but it's very possible that RAF fighters were prowling in the area before that date for everybody in England knew that about half a million retreating or surrounded troops (British plus French, Belgian, Polish) needed fighter protection.
The name of the dead RAF pilot being mentioned it should be possible to check on the fighter type he was flying.
(In the meantime I checked.) YES Norman LR Franks*) named precisely this pilot (92 Sqn) of Spitfire I P9370 on "patrol (along the) French coast, shot down in flames over Dunkirk by Me 109".
Franks gives a list of 9 Spitfires (74, 92, 54 Sqns) and 9 Hurricanes shot down that day in the same area - some by Me 110s, the rest by 109s.
*) See Frank's pale-blue booklet "Royal Air Force FIGHTER COMMAND LOSSES of the Second World War (...) Volume 1, page 30.
Published 1997.