Johnnie Houlton's kills on D Day

[Dave Homewood]

I was told very recently that contrary to the well known story out there, when Johnnie Houlton shot down the first and shared the second Luftwaffe kills on D Day he was in fact not flying his regular No. 485 (NZ) Squadron Spitfire ML407 (OU-V). I was told the aircraft was having maintenance done that morning and that the Squadron Operations Record Book shows he was using another aeroplane.

Can anyone here confirm this please? Has anyone got a copy of the ORB for that day, 6 June 1944?

[baz62]

According to his book he was taxiing OU-V when unknown to him the Operations officer had moved a desk and phone out onto the airfield. As he taxied along there was a big bang and bits of desk and phone got chewed up by the prop. So while OU-V had a prop change he flew another aircraft. If I recall after he came back he flew OU-V but I can't remember which Spitfire he got the kill in.

[Dave Homewood]

Yes, that is the story I was told, he flew it later in the day but not when he made the kills. I wonder why the current owner and other media outlets persist it was that aircraft that the kills were made in? Surely his flying logbook would record the actual aircraft, as well as the ORB. I don't know where his logbook ended up.

[phasselgren]

According to "2nd Tactical Air Force" by Shores/Thomas he was flying MK950 (OU-X)
/Peter

[Dave Homewood]

Thanks Peter.

[flyjoe180]

I've posted this before, but this depiction of Houlton's D-Day action was drawn by himself, and is on display at the Paraparaumu Museum of Aviation.

[Moeggo]

Could you please post a large res photo of that Flyjoe?

[flyjoe180]

The best way to do that? The image is on another computer, can do it later.