103 MU at Aboukir

[Brian Bines]

For the 6-9-42 there is Ju86R1 5101 of 3(F)/123 in crashlanding with 60% damage at Bir el Abd following Feindbeschuss ( Luft QM's report dated 6-10-42 ).

[Chris Going]

Small gloss, really, on the GAF Recon sortie rates over Egypt in 1942.
2/123 figures give FET64/42 flown on 10 March 1942 (Alexandria); FET105/42 on 16 March 1942 (Aboukir+, this 1/121); FET146/42 on 31 May 42(Alexandria); FET154/42 on 12 June 1942(Alexandria), and FET246/42 on 20 July 1942 (Alexandria), and FET283/42 on 17 October 1942 (Alexandria).

Might be useful for rates.


best,

ChrisG

[phasselgren]

Originally Posted by Aussie7

Guys, it is good to see that there is quite a bit of interest in the High Altitude Flight. My interest started when researching the activities of 451 Sqn RAAF, which like most defensive Hurricane sqn had on strength 3 or 4 Spit V's during 1943 to combat German recon a/c. On several occasions the Spitfires and pilots were detached to other units such as 103 MU and 127 Sqn.

Brian, I have found much the same claims as you except:
1. P/O Wilson's claim was on 26 Jul 42 (Aces High - AH), although this seems a little odd as I thought the Flt only had 3 pilots in 1942 - F/O Reynolds, P/O Genders & P/O Gold.
2. 1 Ju88 dam on 15 Jun 43 by F/L Cooper-Slipper (AH).
3. The 16 Sep 43 claim was by F/O McQueen RAAF (Those Other Eagles - TOE).
4. 1 Me109 dam on 13 Aug 43 and 1 Me109 conf on 24 Aug 43 by S/L JG West RNZAF (TOE).
5. F/O HV Freckleton RAAF with P/O AF Arnel RAAF (attch fron 451 Sqn) as his No2 claimed a Ju86 conf on 4 Jul 43 (info from several Aussie books/diaries and NAA). However is it possible that this the E/A shared with 80 Sqn on 2 Jul 43 ?

JohnE, the 451 Sqn ORB is insistant that although F/O Purdy's claim occured whilst he was attached to 103 MU it was credited to his parent Sqn.

Ian (Adelaide)

Hi Ian,

A late comment. I just read about Montague James Rowland in Errol Martyn´s book For Your Tomorrow, Vol Three. He served in the High Altitude Flight from from 23 Aug 42 to 30 Nov 42 when he joined the Detached Flight (C Flight) of 94 Sqn.

Cheers
Peter Hasselgren

[Brian]

Hi guys

I'm resurrecting this post as I have just noticed on a Canadian website mention of a RCAF pilot Wendel J.A. Nelson (actually an American in the RCAF) who apparently claimed two Ju86s shot down while with the MU Spitfire Flight. The website owner stated that he had seen the entries in the pilot's logbook.

He transferred to USAAF and was killed in January 1945.

Do we know anything about Nelson? He apparently served with 600 Squadron on Beaufighters (and possibly with 6 Squadron on Hurricanes)before being wounded and posted to the MU on recovery.

Cheers
Brian

[Aussie7]

Brian,

Nelson's career was covered in the June & July 2009 issues of Flypast (which I appear to have unfortunately thrown out !!) and from memory he didn't make any air claims with any of his various RAF units. As he was OC of the High Altitude Flt maybe his logbook entries refer to unit claims whilst he was 'the Boss'. I have seen DFC/DSO citations listing unit claims which read like personal claims, causing confusion to novice historians down the ages.

Ian Westworth

[CJE]

Hi gents,

Sorry to dig up the deads, but I came across this thread by... Google.
How many "special" Spits were modified by 103 MU ?
We know BR202, which was lost after an engine failure on 6 September 1942. It was replaced by BR114.
But Brian wrote that on two occasions an interception was made by TWO Spits of 103 MU which leads me to believe there was a third machine.
Does anyone know anything about it?

Thanks.

Chris