Spitfire Modification

[billrunnels]

We had to make an emergency landing in Greenland when in route to Iceland. I noticed a spitfire on the ramp and joined the pilot for lunch.I inquired as to why he was in Greenland. He said he was ordered to deliver the aircraft there and that a modification team from Canada would meet him. I asked how long he had been there. His reply with a smile "6 months". He was still waiting for the modification team. He went on to say he would wait as long as it took. I often wondered if they ever showed up.

 

[Crimea_River]

Sounds odd but then I'm sure so many things were that way. I have no idea what a team from Canada would do to a Spitfire as we didn't build any here, though we did build lots of Hurricanes and put skis on some.....

 

[billrunnels]

I am a firm believer that anything that could possibly happen did during WWII.

 

[Gnomey]

Interesting. Wonder what was going on.

 

[billrunnels]

Interesting. Wonder what was going on.

I would assume command forgot he was there and he wasn't about to remind them.

 

[pbehn]

I would assume command forgot he was there and he wasn't about to remind them.

I have seen the same in civilian life. A guy in Japan had been sending reports to his company saying "no activity, no activity scheduled" for six months. He was being paid and no one arranged to send him home so as he said "I just grin and bank it"

 

[stona]

I know of at least one Spitfire, a IXc, serial number MK210, flown by Lt.Col Gustav Lundquist of the USAAF, Test Section, Boscombe Down, which made an emergency landing on Greenland while returning to the UK from the US. The Spitfire had been testing long range tanks at Wright Field. He was stuck there for a while awaiting spares, but I would imagine that they would have come from the UK rather than Canada.

Cheers

Steve