BoB Spitfire with PRU canopy???

[Andy Mac]

Assuming this is a mk1 . . .is this unusual?

Andy.

ps search 'spitfire foto' on ebay worldwide to see the others ;-)

[Graham Boak]

Search didn't work: what is significant about it? markings? camo scheme? serial?

[Andy Mac]

Sorry - I forgot to post the link . . .here they are :
http://search.ebay.co.uk/search/sear...&fsop=1&fsoo=1

[SteveB]

It is a surprise that there have not been more responses on this perhaps it's the World Cup?

I think the PR canopy is fairly rare but I believe they were fitted to some armed Spitfires to fly high level 'Jim Crow' reconnaissance missions tracking LW formations on their way to Britain. A special flight was established No 421 Flight linked to 66Sqdn which had the same LZ codes as 66Sqdn but with a dot ie L.Z. There is a poor quality photo of one of these a/c with the PR canopy. The eBay photo clearly shows a 19Sqdn a/c perhaps they were also involved in these ops or perhaps this is an a/c that previously served with 421 Flight/66Sqdn?

Steve

[Christer Bergström]

Surely this is not P9382, which - flown by F/L Smalley of the PRU, Heston - was shot down over the Friesian Islands on 8 October 1940? Smalley baled out, so probably not much remained of his Spitfire after the crash.

Maybe though K9791 (also of the PRU, Heston), which, piloted by F/Sgt Taylor-Gill, failed to return from a sortie over the Ruhr on 17 August 1940?

[Alex Smart]

Hello,

Spitfire "QV-X" with a colour band around the aft end of the fuselage.
Doesn't that place this event after November 1940 ? So August 1940 is out of play.

I think that this was an old 19 Sqdn a/c with modifications and in use with a PR Unit.

And also apart from the Canopy, look at the port wing bulge. Could this be a forward wing camera fitting, only done on a few a/c I beleive.

Alex

[rob van den nieuwendijk]

Hello all,

If this is a 19 squadron Spit crash landed on the Dutch beach, then it might be the Spit of F/Lt Cunnigham 19 Sqdn on 28 Aug 41; Spitfire IIa, P8439.

Best wishes,
Rob

[Fairlop]

Hi all,

1) It´s Mk IIA - see a small cover ahead of exhaust pipes for example.
2) A rare LR version - the tank is clear visible under left wing.
3) This event was after 10/40 - camo with Sky band for example.
4) It should be P8439 s/d by flak on 28/8/41. F/L Cunningham DFC was POW after c/l on Dutch beach. A tragic day for 19 Sqn´s when CO didn´t return to Matlask too.

I expect these very nice pictures will finish in Sudek13´s pocket for hundreds of Euros.

Regards,
Michal

[SteveB]

According to the book "Fighter Squadron" by Derek Palmer, 19Sqdn re-equipped with l/r Spitfire IIs on 21 August 1941 receiving the a/c from 234Sqdn. On 29 August 1941 eleven a/c went back to the Dutch coast to search for S/Ldr Lawson and encountered a formation of Me110s in the ensuing dogfight 19Sqdn lost another four pilots. 19Sqdn re-equipped with Spitfire IIa on 7 September 1941.

Steve

[Christer Bergström]

It's a joy to see such a great research, gentlemen!

I can only add that the four Spitfires on 29 August 1941 were shot down by II./ZG 76 "Haifischgruppe" (by Lt Drewes, Ofws Kornatzki and Spitzer, and Gefr. Bopp) against no other own losses than an injured radio operator (Gefr. Alfred Bunke) - a not at all uncommon result for this very successful Zerstörergruppe.