Spitfire MK V EF736

[Eric Larger]

Hello

Does any one have further infortmation on this particuliar Spitfire .

She was posted to Gr 2/33 (French air force) on march 1944 .

She was photographed in September 1944 at Dijon-Longvic .

I am looking on any information on this aircraft , date of roll out , factory, previous unit and so on up to march 1944.

Was it produced as a Trop variant or not?

Her painting sheme , is according to me Dark Green and Grey , is it correct ?

Many thanks to all of you for your help .

Eric Larger

[Leendert]

Eric,

From spitfires.ukf.net:

39 MU 11-9-43
47 MU 21-9-43
Ioanian (ship) 3-10-43
Casablanca 19-10-43
N Africa 30-11-43
Armée de l'Air GR 2/33 2-5-44

The Spitfire was built by Westland.

Regards,

Leendert

[Eric Larger]

Many thanks for this answer .

That helps where to look at .

Eric

[Spitfire 9]

Eric,

You are probably aware already but, there is a side shot of the aircraft in Wojtek Matusiak's publication 'Supermarine Spitfire Mk V'

The caption has additional information for you perhaps?

Mervyn.

[Eric Larger]

Hello

I do not have this book , I only know if a french magazine Icare , another shot of this aircraft , but with slightly diffferent markings

Eric

[Spitfire 9]

Hello Eric,

Ok,
there is a side view with all the markings as in your photo.

Caption reads;

EF736 of the Groupe de Reconnaissance 11/33 Savoie. one of the French units outside RAF structure to receive Spitfires.
The camouflage is probably RAF Derert scheme, while roundels and rudder stripes are in French colours. sharkmouth motif and mission markings on the cowling.
(Photo by Serge Joanne)

Mervyn.

[Bertrand H]

Eric,

This Spitfire V EF736 lost with Groupe de Reconnaissance 2/33 on 9 november 1944 in Dijon-Longvic. A/C crashed on landing due to the wind. Pilot was lieutenant Collongue (safe) ; Spit was 115 ops missions with GR 2/33.

HTH

Bertrand

[Eric Larger]

Many thnaks

I just have to go at SHAA at Vincennes to get few more operational informations .

WHen I was a boy 6 years old ,In the fram of my grand-grend father , I use to play sitting on a wing of Siptfire Mk V of GR 2/33 . the aircraft was hit by flak on 2 October over Belfort and made an emergency landing at Etueont-Haut (90 ) (75 m from the family farm) . The pilot, Lt Claude Bourdier , escaped in the village instead of running to the top of the hill nearby . He was captured by german Troops .

The German trrop removed all important elements of the aircrafts , instrument panels, fuel , and ammunitions , but when the german troops retreated , my grand-grand father and my grand father , dissaembled several parts , including the wings (starboard one) if my memory is correct , to build up a small hangar .

The wing lay behind the farm until I was 6 or 7 , The later fate of the wing is unknown to me .

Does any one of you have any information on Claude Bourdier , he was not on the officer list 1944 and not on the one of 1946. My father , was 6 at that time , remember the family having seen his mother from Paris after war. He saw also the aircraft crash-landing in the meadow near the farm , and killing 2 cows . The dead cod , were split between the families of the village .

Eric

[Bertrand H]

According to the book « Retour sur 33 » by Patrick Ehrhardt (same book where I find details on EF736), the author gives the posting of Lieutenant Claude Bourdier to the GR 2/33 « Savoie » from 13/5/44 to 2/10/1944. A photo of Collongue and Bourdier is page 1517 taken during a ceremony.


Bertrand