Movie mistake? Or...?

[Monkeyfume]

In Dr. Strangelove (1964), Capt. Lionel Mandrake claims that he flew a Spitfire, served in the RAF, and was captured by the Japanese and put in a PoW camp.

Is that possible?
I thought he was confusing Spitfires with Seafires at first but it would be hard to confuse RAF with FAA.

Did the RAF operate Spitfires over Japan?
Is this a mistake in the script?

 

[Njaco]

I believe Spits were flown in the pacific theatre mainly from Australia into Burma, etc. I could be wrong on some details but they were there.

 

[GregP]

And it's only taken you 50 years to get curious about this?

That is intended as a joke, not a dig ...

 

[Capt. Vick]

Hahahahahaha! Good one.

 

[Crimea_River]

Don't mind the snide comments. Yes, it is possible but not because they flew over Japan. For example, the RAF flew Spitfires as part of the South East Asia Air Command or SEAC. Google that if you'd like to learn more.

 

[Monkeyfume]

I believe Spits were flown in the pacific theatre mainly from Australia into Burma, etc. I could be wrong on some details but they were there.

Thank you. I did not know this.

 

[GregP]

It wasn't snide ... it was funny! How can a person with a handle like MomkeyFume not see the humor in that?

And the RAF, RAAF, and Royal Indian air Force definitely flew Spits in the Pacific. You might try looking up "Spitfires over Darwin," and see what you find. The Royasl Indian Air Force operated over Asis, nit Australia and had some succes. Early use of Spitfires in the Pacific did not have good results due to short range, poor pilot training, and corrosion in the Merlins due to having the Glycol drained before shipment. Later, the Spitires did better as the pilots got trained, good Merlin units showed up, and they learned tactics for combating a Zero, which would handily out-maneuver a Spitfire at anything under 300 - 320 mph. It was the first time Spitfire pilots had found themselves on the short end of a turning fight as a general rule, so they started adopting higher-speed tactics that worked.

It was never a major player in the Pacific, but DID serve with some distinction.

 

[Greyman]

The Spitfire came into the CBI theatre about November 1943, and at their height in 1944 there were about nine squadrons of Spitfire VIIIs.

 

[Wildcat]

Spitfire's over Darwin first went into combat in March 1943. In total the RAAF fielded 4 spitfire squadrons in Australia and the Pacific, while the RAF had 3 squadrons all based at Darwin.

 

[fastmongrel]

Peter Sellers had been in the RAF and had done a tour of India and Burma with an RAF entertainment show so he probably knew enough to have picked up on any mistake in the script.

 

[Milosh]

There was an American ace who claimed Japanese, Italian and German a/c.

 

[WJPearce]

There was an American ace who claimed Japanese, Italian and German a/c.

Louis Curdes. He also had an American "kill" but I don't think that went to his overall count.

 

[Greyman]

There was an RCAF flier too, Robert Davidson.

Almost added North Korean (maybe Russian?) to the list as well. Two damaged claims in 1952.

 

[Greyman]

double

 

[fubar57]

I don't know if Bill(N4521U) knows about this Davidson, but just in case he pops in...

Bob Davidson

Geo

 

[N4521U]

Like this?

 

[Edgar Brooks]

11, 17, 20, 28, 67, 81, 132, 136, 152, 155, 273, 452, 457, 607, 615, 681(P.R.) Squadrons all flew Merlin-engine Spitfires in the Pacific theatre, with 11, 17, 20, 28, 132, 136, 152, 155, 273, 607, 681(P.R.) getting Griffon-engine versions in 1945, but possibly after VJ-Day.

 

[vikingBerserker]

Louis Curdes. He also had an American "kill" but I don't think that went to his overall count.
View attachment 278301

Ok that is funny!

 

[rogerwilko]

Did many japanese pilots get taken prisoner from parachuting into enemy lines?

 

[GrauGeist]

Ok that is funny!

He had to shoot down an American transport that was carrying nurses and personnel, to prevent them from landing at a Japanese held airfield.

And by saying "shoot down", he didn't annhilate it, he crippled it and they were forced to ditch.