# Pilot reunited with Spitfire he baled out of in 1943



## Colin1 (May 29, 2009)

Nice piece
stolen from a colleague's newspaper at work


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## RabidAlien (May 29, 2009)

Great story!


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## Shinpachi (May 29, 2009)

An Old man reunits his old plane.
I can't read this kind of good story with no tears.
Fantastic and thanks for sharing, Colin1


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## Gnomey (May 29, 2009)

Good story, thanks for sharing.


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## v2 (May 29, 2009)

Great story, THX. More pics here: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...ilot-reunited-Spitfire-shot-65-years-ago.html


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## Colin1 (May 29, 2009)

v2 said:


> Great story, THX. More pics here: World War II fighter pilot is reunited with the Spitfire he was shot down in 65 years ago | Mail Online


Interesting read
this point was interesting 'don't bother shooting from more than 250ft away, you'll only dent him', roughly 80 yards or 75 metres - that's close! The 20mm cannons carried by the Mk IX were very reliable in service, and if it was a Mk IXe that's a couple of .50s for good measure.


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## syscom3 (May 29, 2009)

Great read.


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## diddyriddick (May 29, 2009)

A fascinating tale. Thanks for sharing it.


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## vikingBerserker (May 29, 2009)

Very nice!

That must have been an incredible feeling for him.


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## GrauGeist (May 29, 2009)

Great find, Colin, thanks for posting it!


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## wheelsup_cavu (May 30, 2009)

Great read.
Since the pilot is now 90 it is almost unbelievable that he was found for the story.


Wheelsup


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## Wayne Little (May 30, 2009)

Great work Colin!


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## Flyboy2 (May 30, 2009)

Good stuff


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## Pong (Jun 3, 2009)

Nice story, thanks for sharing.


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## snafud1 (Jun 3, 2009)

That's great to see.


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## antoni (Jun 3, 2009)

The correct spelling is Kuryłłowicz (and should not be confused with Kuryłowicz which is a different name). He was shot down 13th May 1943 on Ramrod 71. According to the book 315 Squadon it was coded PK*A at that time. BS410, then coded PK*E, was the Spitfire in which Francis Gabreski made his first operational sortie with 315 Squadron, Circus 252 on 21st January 1943. The wartime (black-and-white) photograph of Gabreski was probably taken on that date after the sortie.

THere is very little of the original Spitfire in the restoration and it is being built as a two-seater.


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## Messy1 (Jun 3, 2009)

I am wondering what shape the plane was in before the restoration was started. It would be interesting to see the before and after pics.


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## antoni (Jun 4, 2009)

It crashed from 25,000 to 20,000 ft.


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