Red Tobin No,71 POPOCATAPETL I

[esc201faem]

Hello
I am re posting this request about this particular Spitfire, since I had some success in a previous case.

Also we know that the ORB for No.71 exit but what happened to the other records of No.71 eagle squadron ,are there in the RAF o the british national archives?

I am trying to find out the complete letter markings for the Supermarine Spitfire MK.VB W3801, that was flown by the American P/O. Eugene Q.Tobin of No.71 Eagle Squadron, who was shot down and killed on September 7, 1941 near Boulogne, he was victim of a BF-109 from JG26.
His aircraft was Presentation Spitfire POPOCATAPETL I from Mexico, I need to complete XR-???

Any help would be most appreciated

v/r

Santiago A.Flores

[Frank Olynyk]

Santiago,

This is going to be difficult to track down. The aircraft was assigned to 71 Sqn on September 2, 1941, and lost on Sept 7. Norman Franks' Book RAF Fighter Command Losses Vol. 1 does not give the squadron codes. I checked a few online references to the aircraft, and none give the code. Perhaps it can be found in the Air Britain book on Presentation Spitfires, but I can't lay my hands on the book at the moment.

Enjoy!

Frank.

[Chris Goss]

Unless in the ORB (& Frank says no), the only other way is logbooks & according to Frank this will be unlikely

[Stig Jarlevik]

Santiago

Tobin's Spit W3801 seems to have been Popocatapetl II (not I), at least according to Gifts of War (Air Britain's book about Presentation Aircraft)
This book gives no individual code letter either.

Have you also considered the possibility this aircraft actually never carried any individual code? As Frank says, it was in use with 71Sq only 6 days when it was lost. When/where was aircraft unit marked? Personally I have no idea, but there are a few shots of aircraft without such letters, and with an aircraft with such a short life, well, I don't think it can be entirely ruled out, could it?

Cheers
Stig

[esc201faem]

Hi Stig
good morning and to all .....

Another thing to consider if the Name POPOCATAPETL was applied to the aircraft when it came out of the factory before going out to the MU and them No.71.

Also are there German reports of the recovery of Eugene Tobin remains and his aircraft?
Does anybody has contact with his Family .
I did not find any flights (test) recorded in the ORB of 71 not even a test flight before going into combat on 7 September 1941.

So I anything is on the table that POPO flew with o without squadron markings.

Are there other document (not the ORB) on 71 that are at the National archives?

the quest continues.........

Santiago

[edwest2]

For what it's worth, here is a list of Presentation Spitfires.


https://fyldebbmfund.wordpress.com/g...ion-spitfires/


Best,
Ed

[Chris Goss]

The F540 wouldn’t record training or test flights

[dp_burke]

The AIR81 file for Dowlings aircraft that was lost that day might include a referenece to Tobins aircraft.

https://discovery.nationalarchives.g...ls/r/C16924550

[Franek Grabowski]

You can try to check the ORB for the pilots flying the aircraft, and then to try to locate their log books. Nonetheless some squadrons are a real nightmare for serial/code tie ups. Eg. all records pertaining to No 307 Sqn Defiants all list serials. All three or four tie ups were identified from pictures.

[Chris Goss]

Sadly there appears there was never any firm guidance as to recording serials & codes in F540s. As most of us have found out, some recorded codes & no serials, some partial serials, some full serials and some both. It would appear that 71 Sqn fell into the penultimate category