Spitfire in France?

[Parabellum]

Hi there,

This ZD°A (PR2??) spitfire has almost certainly been photographied in France, during may of 1940, but where?
http://cgi.ebay.de/027-O-Foto-zersto...item1e58df615b
http://cgi.ebay.de/023-O-Foto-zersto...item1e58df6137

Regards,

[kaki3152]

If you blow up the serial number you can see P82 or P32?

Carlos

[Peter Cornwell]

This is one of four Spitfires lost by No.222 Squadron during a wing patrol over Dunkirk on June 1, 1940, as follows:

Spitfire P9377. Engine damaged in combat with Bf109s of I./JG26 and Bf110s of I./ZG1 and belly-landed on beach east of Bray-Dunes 5.30 a.m. P/O R. A. L. Morant unhurt. Aircraft ZD*U fired by pilot.

Spitfire P9317. Damaged in combat with Bf109s of I./JG26 and Bf110s of I./ZG1 and forced-landed at Le Touquet 5.40 a.m. P/O H. E. L. Falkust captured. Aircraft ZD*A a write-off.

Spitfire P9339. Failed to return from combat with Bf109s of I./JG26 and Bf110s of I./ZG1 and believed crashed near Pihen-lès-Guines 5.40 a.m. Possibly that collided head-on with Oberlt Möller of 2./ZG1. P/O G. Massey-Sharpe killed. Aircraft ZD*J a write-off.

Spitfire N3232. Shot down in combat with Bf109s of I./JG26 and Bf110s of I./ZG1 and crashed near Koksijde; possibly that claimed by Uffz Wolf of 3./JG26 over Dunkirk 5.36 a.m. Sgt L. J. White killed. Aircraft a write-off.


Source: The Battle of France Then & Now (as amended)

[Parabellum]

Thanks a lot for all these precisions, Peter!
Really interesting!

Cheers,

[Luc Vervoort]

Hi,

Is it possible that under the wing of the Spitfire in question the wing of another plane (German= ?) can be seen on photograpgh
http://cgi.ebay.de/027-O-Foto-zersto...item1e58df615b ?

Best regards

Luc

[SteveB]

Peter

I am sorry to seem dense!

Are you saying that the eBay photos show P9317/ZDA at Le Touquet? I am assuming that 222Sqn did not have two a/c coded ZDA? The circumstances of the a/c in the eBay photos seem quite different from the photo of ZDA in your book?

It is not my speciualist subject but I am very interested.

Steve

[Peter Cornwell]

Steve,

I cannot say that the eBay photo is Le Touquet or not but that is where P9317 landed. Yes, there would have been more than one ZD*A but not at the same time, obviously, and doubtful in the extreme that the Lw acquired two of them.

[Pieter H]

Peter, all

This is an eBay picture of I think the ZD-A P9317.
It was part of a series of pictures by someone of or close to JG26.
So it seems that the Spitfire landed on or near an airfield used by JG26, which explains the flock of JG26 pilots on my picture and the fact that indeed another a/c (probably a Bf109) can be seen on the other picture.

Regards, Pieter

[Alex Smart]

Hello,

Great photo's, thank you.

Just for interest 222 a/c lost
31-5-40 - N3295 -"G"
1-6-40 - P9377 -"U"
1-6-40 - P9317 - "A"
1-6-40 - P9339 - "J"
1-6-40 - N3232 -
26-6-40 - P9420 -
4-7-40 - N3294 -
30-8-40 - P9325 -
30-8-40 - P9375 -
30-8-40 - K9826 - "X"
30-8-40 - R6628 -
30-8-40 - P9443 -
30-8-40 - P9323 - "F"
30-8-40 - R6720 -
31-8-40 - N3233 -
31-8-40 - P9337 -
31-8-40 - P9360 -
31-8-40 - P9505 -
2-9-40 - K9799 -
2-9-40 - X4280 -
3-9-40 - L1010 -
4-9-40 - R6837 -
4-9-40 - K9962 -
4-9-40 - P9378 -
4-9-40 - X4278 - "D"
5-9-40 - X4057 -
9-9-40 - P9328 -
11-9-40 - R6638 -
14-9-40 - X4275 -
14-9-40 - X4249 -

Anyone add the missing a/c letters please ?

Alex