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Post by Dave Homewood on Jun 13, 2011 15:56:17 GMT 12
How many kiwis flew the Spitfire Mk 12 (or is it Mk XII?)
I have a feeling from memory that Colin Gray had a brief time flying them, didn't he?
Did any others fly this unusual mark of Spitfire?
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Post by steveh on Jun 13, 2011 22:26:12 GMT 12
Allied Wings No. 1 on the Spitfire XII by Phil Listeman lists 2 Kiwis in its claims list, both with 91 squaron, F/O gray Stenborg who had several vitories in the XII before being killed in Sept 1943 & F/O William Mart who got at least one victory. Stenborg is also mentioned in Max Lamberts recent book on fighter pilots "Day After Day". There may well have been other Kiwis with 41 or 91 squadrons, the only two to operate the XII in front line duties, who did not make claims.
Steve.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Jun 13, 2011 23:37:33 GMT 12
Thanks Steve.
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Post by silverfox on Jun 16, 2011 8:02:36 GMT 12
Just a little extra information, which I hope is of some use.
The use of Roman Numerals for aircraft designation ended in the RAF post WWII when arabic numerals were adopted. Only types still in service were redesignated, e.g. Spitfire Mk XIX became Spitfire Mk 19.
William Mart and Gray Stenborg both used EN620 coded DL M to claim kills. Mart shared a Bf 109 with others include Stenborg whilst flying EN620 and Stenborg claimed a BF 109G in her a few days later.
EN620 was from the earlier batch of MK XIIs converted from MK Vs and retaining the non retractable tail wheel. All EN serials Mk XIIs were so equipped. The second, MB serialled, batch were converted from Mk VIIIs and had retractable tail wheels.
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Post by yak2 on Jun 16, 2011 10:37:30 GMT 12
Slightly off topic question. When calculating total Spitfire production, were those types that were remanufactured as a later model counted twice?
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Post by Tony on Jun 18, 2011 2:19:45 GMT 12
EN620 91 Sqn DL:M
1943: 24th August; Mart. Bf.109 shared. 23rd September; Stenborg. Bf.109G.
MB805 91 Sqn
1943: Stenborg. 24th August; Fw.190 shared. 4th September; Fw.190, Fw.190 damaged. 16th September; Bf.109G. 24th September; Ops: Ramrod 241. Shot down and killed in a head-on attack with a Fw.190, near Poix.
MB856 41 Sqn EB:X
1944: 9th September; Henry. Blew a tyre on landing on an airfield near Brussels, Belguim. Hospitalised with a badly lacerated his leg.
MB862 41 Sqn EB:E
1944: 11th September; Weeds. Crash-landed after stalling out on landing and pancaked on to her belly. Slightly injured. It was the last "prang" of a Spitfire XII on operations with 41 Squadron.
MB875 41 Sqn EB:G
1944: 23rd August; Wg Cdr C F Gray. Engine failure on take-off but was able to keep the aircraft under control and landed safely. 25th August; Weeds; Engine failure on take-off. He went over an embankment and the aircraft flipped on its back.
41 Sqn
Griffith L P Flt Lt DFC: 2/11/1943 - 26/1/44
Henry J Flt Lt DFC, MiD: 28/8/44 - 10/2/45 (FTR - Evaded)
Thiele K F Flt Lt DSO DFC**: 124/2/ 944 - 9/44
Weeds B M Wt Off: 18/8/44 - ?
91 Sqn
Mart W Fg Off: 1943
Stenborg G Flt Lt DFC: ? - 24/9/1943 (FTR KiA)
Wg Cdr C F Gray
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Post by Dave Homewood on Jun 20, 2011 20:02:03 GMT 12
Thanks for the info.
Rob I think the remanufactured Spitfires that rolled out again as new models were counted as a new aircraft so counted twice. PeterA will know for certain.
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Post by yak2 on Jun 20, 2011 20:34:59 GMT 12
Thanks Dave.
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