Photo of the week
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This midweeks photo.
A Douglas A-20 Havoc on the production line at the California plant in Long Beach October 1942..j
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This weekends photos.
And some wonderful colour shots of Republic YP-84A-RE Thunderjet 45-59488
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This midweeks photo.
P-40F fighters in the hanger deck of USS CHENANGO ACV-28, to be ferried to North Africa with the invasion force. Photographed at Norfolk, Virginia, 15 October 1942.
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This weekends photo.
De Havilland D.H. 82 Tiger Moth VH-AMH possibly crop dusting or applying fertilizer.
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This weekends extra.
And a nice shot of a Curtiss C-46F Commando CW-20B-4 of the Chinese Nationalist Air Force.
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This midweeks photo.
Built by Macchi as MM.91975 and delivered to the 356th Squadriglia, 21st Gruppo Autonomo C.T. of the Italian Air Force at Chinisia in June 1943.
This aircraft was abandoned at Sciacca airfield and found there by personnel of the 31st Fighter Group, who restored it to flight. The aircraft got painted in the same scheme as the Supermarine Spitfires of the 31st Fighter Group and got the name "Whacky Macchi"
After being used for a while as a mascot by the 31st FG it went to the Evaluation Branch of the USAAF as EB-300, later renumbered to FE-300 (1943), when it went to Wright Field, Ohio for flight trials (1943/1944).
It got renumbered again at Freeman Field, Indiana, as FE-498 in 1945 and later T2-498 in 1946. At that time it was still airworthy. From there on it went to the Smithsonian Institute and got stored for many years at Park Ridge, Illinois (August 1946). At some point it was decided to restore the plane and sent it to the National Air and Space Museum Storage, Silver Hill, Maryland, where it got displayed as "FE-498" (1971/1972).
Since 1976, it has been at the US National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian, Washington, DC. .
Below taken at Freeman Field Indiana
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This weekends photos.
Fresh from the factory, a line-up of Supermarine Spitfires at RAF Station, Hornchurch, England.sign reads "SEVICEABLE AEROPLANE Nº K9912".
Spitfire Mk Ia K9912 has quite the history.
K9912: Spitfire Mk.Ia (c/no.130). First Flown 25-3-39. Issued to 65 (East India) Squadron, RAF as 'YT-O' 4-4-39. Damaged by Bf-109 and crash landed on beach at Dunkerque, Pas de Calais, France 26-5-40. Struck Off Charge 14-8-40; test bed for Merlin III engine and DeHavilland 3-blade 2-speed prop.
Took off from RAF Hornchurch, Essex 26 May 1940 for a combat air patrol between Calais and Dunkerque, as part of "Operation Dynamo" - the evacuation of troops from Dunkirk. Shot down in air to air combat, possibly by Hptmn Balathsar. According to the official Air Ministry file into the incident (File AIR 81/572): "Spitfire K9912 landed near Dunkirk, France, 26 May 1940. Pilot Officer Kenneth Graham Hart - injured".
According to unofficial published sources this period of the pilot life was something like this...
"On 26th May twelve Spitfires from the squadron took off at 08:15 led by Squadron Leader Cooke for an offensive patrol over the Calais-Dunkirk area, Hart flying in Spitfire K9912 YT-O. They came across at least 50 enemy aircraft consisting of Bf-109’s with Bf-110’s bombing Calais, along with Henschel 126’s in their reconnaissance role, and immediately engaged them. Pilots of the squadron were soon involved in several dogfights with the Luftwaffe at 8,000 feet, resulting in a final tally of 3 Bf-109’s destroyed, 5 probable or damaged, 2 Bf-110’s destroyed and 1 Hs126 destroyed.
Hart shot down one of the Bf-109’s at about 08:40, seeing it crash in flames onto the beach at Dunkirk, unfortunately his aircraft was hit in the starboard wing (possibly by Hptmn Balthasar (Staffelkapitan of 1/JG1), forcing Hart down onto the same beach alongside the burning Messerschmitt (possibly that of Leutnant M Jaczak).
'During a dogfight in which 65 Squadron were engaged, I sighted several Me 109’s in formation in line astern. I attacked nearest from behind. I fired 2 bursts of 2 seconds at 300 and 280 yards. I then saw the enemy aircraft fall out of the formation and crash to the ground. I was then attacked from behind and forced down. My aircraft was completely unserviceable, and after usual formalities, returned to my base, by sea and rail'.
Hart managed to escape from the damaged Spitfire uninjured, (although the Air Ministry Casualty File No. 5801 of 26.5.40 first records that he gave out a radio message stating he was injured, and intended to torch the Spitfire using his flare pistol). Hart escaped back to the UK via a ship engaged on Operation Dynamo on the 28th May, quickly rejoining 65 Squadron at Hornchurch.
Over 200 sorties were flown on the 26th by the RAF, with the loss of eight RAF fighters and pilots (two returning later to the UK, one being Hart). Having now crash landed twice in four days, on his return, Hart was given leave. He returned to active duties on Saturday 15th June 1940, this time flying Spitfire N3126 on a convoy patrol between 10:20-12:15hrs.
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This weekends extra.
A USAAF P-40B from the 33rd PS, 8th PG takes off from USS Wasp on the 14th of October 1940,this was a a test designed to compare the take-off runs of standard Navy and Army aircraft. This experiment,was the first time that Army planes had flown from a Navy carrier, this foreshadowed the use of the USS Wasp in the ferry role that she performed so well in World War II.
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This midweeks photo.
And three turning and three feathered.
Venturas from No. 1 Operational Training Unit. NZ4534 ZX-D, NZ4521 ZX-C, NZ4543 ZX-F
