Regarding the Mustang

[bada]

Hi Colin:

I realize this is tangential to the thread's principle theme, however, I thought you might appreciate the following: 64 Squadron's ORB noted that as of 11 July 1942 the Squadron had 13 Spitfires IXs. First operational mission with a full complement of Spitfire IXs was 28 July 1942. 30 July 1942 the Squadron destroyed 5 FW 190's whist flying Spitfire IXs:

I can confirm your impression that the rule for UK based Spitfire IX units was that they went operational once capable of putting 12 Spitfire IXs in the air for a mission.

Hey mike,

my statistical-work is based ont he list from "spitfire.co.uk",
But i also didn't see any indication of numbers of airframes used in those repports, maybe a missed a line

so i can give you all the airframes, for 10 days period (my way of working) and even after a check, i really can't find so much airframes assigned to squadrons:

on the 10th july for 64S

BR601+BR603+BR604

on the 20st july

BR594+BR601+ BR602+BR603+BR604+BR624+BR977

on the 31st july

BR594+BR596+BR601+ BR602+BR603+BR604+BR624+BR624+BR977

So, if you could provide the serial numbers for all the Mk9 used by the 64S in july and their receive date, i'd really appreciate, beeing able to update the data-base.

anyway, the 64S was still flying spit5b in july42.

 

[Hop]

Bada, have you taken conversions in to account?

For example BR140. It's listed as a Spitfire Vc, but the notes list it as having received a Merlin 61 in May 1942, going to 64 squadron in June. Same is true for BR141, BR142, BR370 . BR143 was converted in to a IX at the same time, but went to 306 squadron.

According to Peter Moss, there were just over 300 Spitfire IX conversions. Some are noted, but I believe many are not.

Regardless, you need to go through the Spitfire Vs as well.

 

[bada]

Hop, no i didn't take the modifs in account, because i haven't done the stats for those Marks yet (it take a very long time to build a time line for each airframe build ..22000 pieces!)i just finished the Mk5a.

Made a fast search in the Mk5 series for Engine Swap to M61, and have only 15 listed.(Mk5c only, none for Mk5b)
from those 15 listed, i DO have 4 delivered to 64S

BR140-24/06/42
BR141-24/06/42
BR142-22/06/42
BR370-09/07/42

the rest of those 15 was delivered later in the year (or even in43).

all the 4 were "operational" till 08/42, so, it looks correct that on the 31st july, 13planes "could" be used by the 64S.

the Stats will be updated once the list of the Mk5c will be finished... but first the 3600 mk5b's....

By the way, if someone knows what the "14GCF" is, it could help me a little bit

 

[Hop]

According to Spitfire The History GCF = Gunnery Cooperation Flight.

Try a search with "cv ix" and you'll find some more conversions, eg AB507 which also went to 64 squadron.

But the biggest problem is the data cards are not complete. Many do not list the engine, so a V could be converted to a IX and not listed.