Warbird Information Exchange

Dated around June 1944. Spitfire XIV with D-Day stripes applied to easily identify friend from foe.


Clipped-wing Spitfire MK XII with retractable tail-wheel.


I think this is a Spitfire Mk XII.


Spitfire Mk XII in flight.


RCAF pilot John Gillespie Magee, a Spitfire pilot and poet, must certainly have had a moment like this when flying his Spitfire to have been inspired to pen his famous poem: High Flight

Gotta love the Griffon!
On the Mk VII notice how the cowlings are much shorter by the Rocker Cover Bump being closer to the firewall. The firewall also is vertical compared to the tilted forward upper part of the later Griffon Spits as shown in this pic. This allowed a larger oil tank and fuel tanks between the firewall and cockpit.


Also the Magneto has its own bump on top center just aft of the prop on the Mk VII.

The earlier Griffon lacked the After Cooler and larger supercharger of the later Griffons. Which is also noted by a small round oil cooler under the L/H wing, alright Port, compared to the later large square combined coolant/oil cooler units of later Griffon powered Spits.


Great pics.
Rich

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Rich Palmer

Remember an Injured Youth
benstear.org
#64- Stay Strong and Keep the Faith

BOOM BOOM, ROUND ROUND, PROPELLER GO

Don't Be A Dilbert!

Thanks Rich for the pics showing bumps & bulges caused by the Griffon engine and what parts were responsible for chaging the outward look of the Griffon-powered Spits.

On an earlier pic I posted of a Spitfire XIV I found the following history: Google search of this Spitfire led me to the following from a book titled Griffon Spitfire Aces by Andrew Thomas, Chris Davey, which gives the following history of Spitfire DL-K Mk XIV RB188. Was the airplane flown by Flt. Lt. H.D. Johnson of 91 squadron, West Malling, July 1944. “One of the most successful Spitfire pilots during the V1 campaign with 13.5 destroyed was Flt. Lt. “Johnny” Johnson, who had been flying with 91 squadron since 1942. His first victory was in this aircraft on 23 June when he shared a V1 near Uckfield, and he brought down another near Hawkhurst the next day, again in RB188. A little over a week later Johnson destroyed three more in this aircraft, which carried the stunning nose-art of a naked red-head (named Brumhilde) riding a V1. RB188 was used to bring down three more “buzz bombs.” …This aircraft later served on the Continent with Nos. 130 and 350 squadrons and was eventually transferred to Thailand post-war.

Rich of course meant XII (12) not VII (7) - an easy slip of the chisel. The points he raised relate to the XII, and how it compared the other (later) Griffon Spitfires.

This is part of his cunning plan to reconfigure the Griffon Spitfire he has to the earlier sportier Mk.XII. I hope Jim's ready for the bills!

The other point is the XII was the only Griffon Spitfire with a four bladed jablo type prop. The later Griffon Spitfires had five (or rarer six blade cotraprops). However some Griffon Seafires had the four blade prop - which of course turned opposite to the Merlin's prop.

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James K

"Switch on the underwater landing lights"
Emilio Largo, Thunderball.

www.VintageAeroWriter.com

This was sent to me by well-known and respected Canadian researcher Jerry Vernon a few days ago.

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James K

"Switch on the underwater landing lights"
Emilio Largo, Thunderball.

www.VintageAeroWriter.com

Thanks James K for passing on the Vampire info from Jerry Vernon...I am always appreciative and frankly in awe of the expertise that is present amoung WIXers. I was preparing some more photos to post from the collection of RH Dibnah when I came upon a German twin-engine airplane that has me stumped as to type...thought at first glance it was a FW-189 but closer examination makes me think not...any takers on ident? Caption only said it was taken in Belgium near wars' end.

hi spartakle,

thats a Siebel Si204, quite a common twin general purpose aircraft

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sagindragin
JMSmith

Thanks sagindragin for identifying the Nazi twin-engine general purpose aircraft for me...I had checked all my books but struck out on identifying it as a Siebel Si204.
I thought I would wrap-up the posting of photos from the WWII photo album of R.H. Dibnah with the following flourish of photos...all apparently taken at a Belgian air field as the Allies advanced and occupied Nazi airfields. I don't know if they were from Dibnah's camera or official shots. I'll add a caption but feel free to correct of add info.

German 4-engine long-range bomber. Used by the Nazis to harass Allied merchant convoys. They were most effective early in the war but as Allied tactics evolved they became less so. They carried a crew of 5, had 6 guns and could carry four 551-pound bombs. No location given of this example but one other in collection of similar subject matter said it was at a former German air base in Belgium.


The JU 88 was produced in huge numbers (about 15,000) and was a jack-of-all trades airplane because of its' adaptability to various roles and needs. No location given of this example but one other in collection of similar subject matter said it was at a former German air base in Belgium.


Caption indicated that this jet bomber might be a fake (intent to lure Allied fighters in for a straffing attack) but this AR 234 is probably the real thing. No location given but one other in collection of similar subject matter said it was at a former German air base in Belgium.


Messerschmitt me-109s. No location given but one other in collection of similar subject matter said it was at a former German air base in Belgium.


No location given but one other in collection of similar subject matter said it was at a former German air base in Belgium.


The caption on the original photo does not say where this photo was taken, or date and a/c model type.


Blitz


FW-190


B-17 Flying Fortress


FW-190


Heinkel 162 pictured at a newly occupied Nazi airfield.

Who is cropping all these wings, noses and tail feathers off?

Some of these are well known shots.

PeterA

That Ar234 appears to be a genuine, but wrecked, aircraft which was cosmetically fixed up as a decoy to draw fire from marauding Allied fighter/bombers.

The shot of the Si204 is neat. It's one of those lowly utility/trainer types you don't hear much about, although it was quite common. Sort of a German version of the Beech 18. It was also manufactured in occupied France as Marinet and Czeckoslovakia as the Aero C-3, and both countries continued to use them for a variety of roles for many years after the war.

One even showed up in the movie "Enemy At The Gates" masquerading as a downed He111 in Stalingrad. One of the twin verticals was placed atop the tailcone, to make it appear to be a single-tail aircraft. Although liberally covered with mud, a close look reveals that the airframe is undamaged, and was simply partially disassembled and laid in place on the set.

SN

If I'm not mistaken, this is 120086, on display postwar and is now with the Canada Aviation Museum.
Can't recall the exact location of this shot, but Winnipeg keeps coming to mind.
Here's another view in the same hangar: http://www.clubhyper.com/reference/images/b16286a8.jpg

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Spartakle,

Many thanks for posting all those great old photographs. Some really interesting photos in that collection.

Regarding a couple of the N.A. Mustang Mk.1 photos:

RM-T is AG366 of No.26 Squadron RAF, based at RAF Duxford in June 1942. Part of a fairly well known series of Air Ministry photos taken not long after the Mustang Mk.1 entered service with this Squadron. No.168 Squadron which is captioned as the Squadron the aircraft belonged to did no begin to receive its Mustangs until November 1942, at which stage the Army Co-operation Squadron that were using them had dropped Squadron identification letters and only had single aircraft id letters.

XV-W is AG623 of No.II(AC) Squadron Royal AIr Force (that is 2 Squadron, but they give their number in roman numerals, so not to be confused with 11 Squadron) based at RAF Sawbridgeworth in June 1942. Again part of a fairly well known series of photos from an Air Ministry and press visit to this Squadron. There is also newsreel footage still in existence from this visit that shows this aircraft during one of its low passes over the airfield. Flight Magazine of the UK used this photo and a number of others in an article published about the Mustang in RAF service later in 1942.

The Mustangs with numbers fits with the practice for No.41 Operational Training Unit. They used numbers to identify their aircraft. Later on they also added letters to designate aircraft used by the different training flights within the unit. Of note 41 OTU also utilised Hurricanes and Harvards as a part of their training strength.

If there are any other early Mustang photos in the collection you have not put up, please feel free to add them.

Once again, thanks for the sharing.

Regards.

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Colin Ford
Canberra
Australia
No.268 Squadron Royal Air Force 1940-46
Historian by Appointment

Thanks Colin Ford for the excellent info on the Mustang I photos and the story behind the pictures. Much appreciated!
Blake Smith

Regarding the He162 photo.

In the winter of 1943, the Canadian government in association with a UK firm, constructed a building having an attached jet engine test cell at RCAF Station Winnipeg, Manitoba It was located at the No. 5 AOS side of the field. This area is presently occupied by Headquarters CAF. The building is still there, but the wooden constructed engine test cell torn down.

The building was identical to that in the UK where the Whittle jet engine was developed and tested. After the building was erected at RCAF Stn. Wpg. a Whittle jet engine was brought over for winter testing during 1943/44.

After the war, the RCAF received numrous Luftwaffe war prizes. A He162 and Me163 were shipped by rail to Winnipeg and brought to the test cell. Also, two Jumo 004 jet engines removed from an Me262 brought to Canada, were shipped to Winnipeg for winter testing. A published reports states the Jumo engines were tested at Churchill, Manitoba, but no facilities were available there at this period. The winter testing of the Jumo would have been performed in Winnipeg.

Later, the entity operating the engine test facility in Winnipeg dissolved and the engineers transferred to the Toronto/Ottawa in the late 1940s. Meanwhile the Me163 and He162 sat in the equipment bay of the test facility. In the early 1950s the building became home to 2402 AC & W Squadron, Auxiliary RCAF Reserve.

When 2402 moved into the building, the He162 and Me163 were transferred to the 402 Squadron hangar located some 50 yards away. Both German aircraft were parked next to a de Havilland Mosquito, KB336, which is currently on display in Ottawa.

http://www.clubhyper.com/reference/images/b16286a8.jpg

This photo shows the 162 parked next to the Mosquito KB336 inside the 402 Squadron hangar. 402 Squadron was assigned the Mosquito for training purposes to develop into a tactical bomber unit post-war. The RCAF changed plans and sold the surplus Mossies to China. KB336 sat in the hangar with engine problems and became part of an inventory of WWII aircraft destined for future museum display.

With the advent of the war in Korea, RCAF Portage la Prairie re-opened for NATO jet training. At the time, the RCAF had numerous WWII aircraft in storage at this base for eventual museum display, and these had to be vacated. McDonald Bros Aircraft of Winnipeg, sent a work party to dismantle and transfer the WWII aircraft to Chater, located near Brandon, Manitoba. They also visited the 402 hangar and moved both German aircraft, and dismantled Mosquito by road to Chater.

All these future museum aircraft remained in storage at Chater until 1961 when they were temporarly moved to the RCAF Stn. MacDonald air base, located just north of Portage la Prairie. They remained stored here until 1963, then transferred to Calgary for one year, before shipped to Ottawa in 1964 for display in the Canada Air Museum.

Since Dibnah was with 417 Squadron in an adjacent hangar, he had access to 402 photographs, including those of the He162 parked inside their hangar. I hope the above narratives places all events in chronological order.

Norman Malayney

Thanks Norman Malayney for the excellent history regarding the He162 photo from the Dibnah collection. As always your research is thorough and interesting. I didn't know much about the collection of WWII German fighters and the many moves they made before finding a permanent home at the Canada Air Museum in Ottawa. Again Thanks!
Blake Smith