Warbird Information Exchange

I was wondering if the dents are actually the gun ports? And I agree about the photos of the flight of Hurricanes were taking around the same time, the one with the rudder patch certainly does!

The 'dents' in the Tempest wings are indeed gun ports for the 20mm cannon. The airfield looks very much like Luneberg which had those distinctive hangars. Also 39 Recce Wing, RCAF, moved in there on 6 May 45 - they had Spit FRXIVs - one of which could be the Spit behind the Tempest. No Tempests based there but one could have dropped in for a variety of reasons.

Agree that the"dents" on wing leading-edges are canon ports, only dents are on drop tanks. Here are a few more photos from the album.


RAF airman looking over a FW 190 near war's end. RH Dibnah photo


Mustang I reconnaissance version.


Mustang I beating-up the aerodrome.


As the Allies advance and capture German aerodromes old foes are discovered and examined up close. Messerschmitt bf-109.


Notable Missions: (from Hell's Angels 303rd bomb group)
#273 (16 Nov 1944) - Returning from mission to Weisheiler, Germany in B-17G #43-38878 (No name) (359BS) BN-D. The 31 returning B-17s were diverted to RAF Satellite Station Sleep. 2Lt Gates was the 28th B-17 to land. He overshot the runway and the right tire blew when braking action was applied. This caused an obstruction at the end of the runway. 1Lt G.C. Newton, the 30th B-17 to land in BG-17G 42-97281 Queenie (427BS) GN-Q, also landed long and failed in a ground loop attempt. The left wing hit the right wing of parked B-17 #43-38878 (no name) (359BS) BN-D. RH Dibnah photo

That Fw 190 is actually a very special example of the type... it's Oblt. Armin Faber's Fw 190A-3 from Stab III./JG 2 which he landed in error at RAF Pembrey on 23 June 1942. Great shots once again, thank you!

Post-war, Dibnah remained in the air force at RCAF Station Rivers, Manitoba. His name is mentioned in the 417 Squadron microfilm reel for this period. In 1948, 417 transfered with their P-51 Mustangs to RCAF Station Winnipeg and assigned a hangar next to 402 Squadron. Thus he had access to 402 Squadron photographs. 417 Squadron remained in Winnipeg briefly and then re-assigned to another RCAF station.

During the 1980s when I first met Dibnah, he attended several Wartime Pilots and Observers Association reunions in Winnipeg. There was plenty of free beer flowing at the gatherings, and he seemed constantly drunk. I recall when the association veterans were returning from the Portage la Prarie air show on their itinerary, he staggered on board our transportation bus shouting at the top of his voice that he wanted another beer, while cursing Adolph Galland. Apparently Galland declined to drink with him because of Dibnah's inebriated state. A most colourful character.

Now to dig out the accident date of the Vampire belly landing.

Norman Malayney

Great info on the FW 190 imritger. Thanks! Thanks also Norman Malayney for the R.H. Dibnah story. Many years ago my dad heard about a Battle of Britain pilot living not far from my house so he called him up and an hour later we were having tea on his back sundeck looking through his old WWII albums and listning to his flying stories...it was an interesting and memorable day. Anyway here are a few more pics, I'll skip the captions in favor of what Dibnah wrote.

Bearing in mind the individual numbers, could those be 41 OTU aircraft? Pity there aren't any obvious landmarks to identify their position. Could easily be Cheshire/Welsh border area. Must have a look at Google Earth!

Gentlemen,

Regarding the Vampire crash photos:

On 3 June 1949, Vampie 17031 was involved in a "C" category accident. The jet was piloted by S/ L. T. G. Anderson who was uninjured. The aircraft blew a tire on takeoff and the pilot was forced to make a wheels-up landing.

The above information is from the 402 Squadron microflim diary. It seems blown tires was a regular problem. On 21 August 1949, Vampire 17038 flown by F/L Wood was involved in a "C" category accident. The aircraft blew a tire on takeoff causing the Vampire to swing off the runway, considerably damaging the undercarriage. This aircraft was to take part in the State Fair at Minneapolis; the squadron by necessity had to borrow a Vampire 17018 from 442 Squadron, Vancvouer, BC.

Norman Malayney

Thanks for more excellent research Norman Malayney on the Vampire belly-landing! Here are a few more pics from the album of R.H. Dibnah. Comments welcome and added detail about various pics encouraged!

Spitfire IV from No 91 Squadron, RAF


This Spitfire was scortched by the explosion of a V1 flying-bomb that the Spitfire engaged.


If I recall (it was a long time ago) Dibnah said that his Spitfire was scortched by the explosion of a V1 flying-bomb that the Spitfire engaged.


Mobile crane hoists a damaged photo-reconnaissance Spitfire so that salvage crews can perform their work.


Plucked tail-feather--Battle damage on a Mustang I caused by flak.


The truly great DeHavilland Mosquito.

The rare Spitfire Mk XII, some time after October.

Fine photographs. Many thanks for posting.

PeterA

Interesting. That is a second time I've seen a photo of that Hurricane. The other photo is captioned VE Parade at Trenton. If indeed the photo was taken at Trenton it is quite possible that the aircraft is Hurricane XIIA BW870.

Btw, notice the nose art on Hurricane 5398? This aircraft carried an inscription stating that "Donations to the March of Dimes helped purchase this aircraft."

Great photos, thanks for posting them.

Jim

Thanks Jim for the comments. BTW on the top photo of the Spitfire I identified it as a Mk IV, I meant XIV. On the photo of the pilots lined up in front of the Spitfire that you identified as a Mk XII...what tell-tale sign tips it off as a Mk XII? Re: the photo of the Hurricane on its' nose with blacked-over markings and writing that looks like Japanese script and what the story is behind this odd Hurricane...I got to thinking that during WWII there was a movie that I recall seeing and in a scene from the movie a Japanese fighter attacks and it is clearly a Hurricane made to look like (not very convincing) a Japanese fighter...could it have been Captains of the Air? Wonder if this was used in the making of the movie way back then?
Blake

I wonder if you're thinking of the black 'Me-109' Hurricane that attacked the Hudsons in 'Captains of the Clouds'

It looks to me that the 'Japanese script' is actually repairs to rips in the fabric. The location makes sence, since that's where the pilots would be pulling themselves up onto the wing.

Lovin' the pics!

_________________

OK, but what is that symbol on the rudder?

Well apart from the fact that only 41 and 91 Squadrons operated the MK XII in service, a four blade propeller with Griffon rotation blades. Therefore not a Mk IX or similar.

PeterA