Jan Clausen
Recruit
- 1
- Dec 8, 2016
Ad: This forum contains affiliate links to products on Amazon and eBay. More information in Terms and rules
I have heard that the Spitfires flown by the US Army in late '43 and early '44, particularly out of Corsica, Sicily, France, were old models and vastly inferior to the newer models given to the RAF. Is there any truth to this?
The 31st FG received their first Spitfire IXs on April 6, 1943 while in North Africa.I have heard that the Spitfires flown by the US Army in late '43 and early '44, particularly out of Corsica, Sicily, France, were old models and vastly inferior to the newer models given to the RAF. Is there any truth to this?
Maybe the origin of what the OP heard was that while the Brits were getting Mk IXs the US airmen were getting Mk VIIIs? Not realising the Mk VIII was a more advanced A/C than a Mk IX.I would be remiss not to mention the Spitfire VIII in US service and this image of a 308th Fighter Squadron, 31st Fighter Group Spitfire VIII is too nice not to share.
View attachment 657393
Maybe the origin of what the OP heard was that while the Brits were getting Mk IXs the US airmen were getting Mk VIIIs? Not realising the Mk VIII was a more advanced A/C than a Mk IX.
Sorry, I can't speak to that, but I can say that while the 31st and 52nd FGs got Spitfire IXs in April 1943, some RAF squadrons in the MTO did get Spitfire IXs a bit earlier such as 81 Squadron in January 1943, 72 Squadron in February 1943, 92 and 145 Squadrons in March 1943 and 126 at Malta too in March '43. I never heard any complaining about it, just heard that the pilots were pleased to get the nines.Maybe the origin of what the OP heard was that while the Brits were getting Mk IXs the US airmen were getting Mk VIIIs? Not realising the Mk VIII was a more advanced A/C than a Mk IX.
Spitfire Mk.VIII started rolling off the Supermarine production lines in Nov 1942 and were initially allocated to the Mediterranean theatre. 601 squadron was the first to receive some in June 1943 followed by 92 and 417 in July, 145 and 1 SAAF in Aug and 32 in Dec. But these were generally being operated alongside older Mk.V throughout most of 1943 in most squadrons, and also alongside the Mk.IX at times in those same squadrons.
The only other RAF unit to receive the Mk.VIII in 1943 was 81 squadron in Nov. It had been withdrawn from service in Italy and re-equipped with Mk.VIII before being redeployed to India where it arrived the following month having flown its new aircraft from Egypt.
Interesting, because Halley's Squadrons of the Royal & Commonwealth Air Forces 1918-1988 doesn't list 126 as a Mk.VIII user at all just Vc and IX from Aug 1943 until it was withdrawn for return to the U.K. on 1 April 1944. Note that max no of Mk.VIII on any mission is 2. Must be similar sheets for other Marks.126 Squadron operational with Spitfire VIII in June 1943 and 43 Squadron can be added to the list of Spitfire VIII users in the MTO during 1943.
Interesting, because Halley's Squadrons of the Royal & Commonwealth Air Forces 1918-1988 doesn't list 126 as a Mk.VIII user at all just Vc and IX from Aug 1943 until it was withdrawn for return to the U.K. on 1 April 1944.
The link I gave seems to draw mostly on Morgan and Shacklady. But it is searchable which is of huge benefit to research. Halley was published in 1989 by Air Britain and is long out of print.Fwiw, I show 126 with Spitfire IX's in March of '43 at Malta. I don't have Halley's book. Sounds interesting, I'll check it out. I've been using Rawlings' Fighter Squadrons of the R.A.F. and Their Aircraft, Crecy Books, 1993 and Morgan and Shacklady's, Spitfire the History as a starting point for such things over the years. They are good but not perfect. After that archival stuff followed by all manner of books. Nice link!
The 31st FG received their first Spitfire IXs on April 6, 1943 while in North Africa.
View attachment 657271
307th FS, 31st FG, North Africa
View attachment 657268
4th FS, 52nd FG Spitfire IX and pilot on alert at La Sebala, Tunisia. June 1943.
View attachment 657270
View attachment 657272
Combat reports show Spitfire IX in action as well such as Capt. John A. Carey of the 5th FS, 52nd Fighter Group claimed two Fw 190s destroyed 50 miles NE of Cap Bon, Tunisia while flying a Spitfire IX on 1 July 1943.
See also:
In a Now Forgotten Sky: The 31st Fighter Group in WW2. Dennis C. Kucera, Flying Machine Press, Stratford, Connecticut, 1997
History of the 31st Fighter Group, Rolland G. Lamensdorf, 1952
Spitfires and Yellow Tail Mustangs. The 52nd Fighter Group of World War II. Tom Ivie and Paul Ludwig, Hikori Publications, East Sussex, England, 2005
American Spitfire: Camouflage and Markings, Paul Ludwig and Malcolm Laird, Ventura Publications, Wellington, New Zealand, 1998