THE SPITFIRE CALENDAR
Compiled by Pieter Jutte
DECEMBER
|
DAY |
SPITFIRE & SEAFIRE CALENDAR
FACTS
PRE-WAR --
WAR YEARS 1939-1945 -- POST-WAR |
|
1 |
1934: Air Ministry authorises manufact. protot. Supermarine Type 300 (future Spitfire)
2005: Warbird pilot & owner of Spitfire Mk IX, MH434, Ray Hanna (77) dies |
|
2 |
1943: Maj. Henry Gaynor 1 Sqn SAAF, F VIII, JF626 claimes last of his 5 'kill's' (FW190)
wwww(Gaynor was killed in March 1944) |
|
3 |
1936: Prototype K5054 1st flight with 8 guns and Merlin F, 1050 hp |
|
4 |
1943: At Tangmere F XII, MB844, lands no flaps, hits F XII, EN604 (Cat-E) both 41 Sqn |
|
5 |
1941: Flt Lt Tony Hill
(Spit. PR IVD, R7044) takes picture of Würtzburg radar, Bruneval |
|
6 |
1936: A wooden four-bladed prop
tested on K5054, no improvement |
|
7 |
1939: Spitfires from 603 & 72 Sqn. fought 7 He 111 and down two of them
1941: Japan strikes
at Pearl Harbour (USA official in 2nd World War) |
|
8 |
1941: Oberlt.
Karl Willius (12 vict. till then) with 3./JG.26 scores 1st Spit. n. Boulogne.
wwwwTotal score: 50, incl. 16 Spitfires. Willius was killed 8-4-'44 |
|
9 |
1941: Oberst Josef 'Pips'
Priller gets Deutsches Kreuz in Gold,
wwwwPriller scored the most Spitfires; 68 (of 101 total a/c) |
|
10 |
1942: First deliv.
of sixth order for Mk VB's (JG713), last deliv.(JL395) 4-'43 (total 989) |
|
11 |
2004:
Spitfire MK732 makes a missing-man-form. during funeral for Prins Bernhard |
|
12 |
1939: Spitfire production
priority over Hurricane by British Air Staff |
|
13 |
1941: First flight Spitfire Mk VB
(AB320) with Vokes Multi-Vee tropical filter
1944: Lupe Velez dies (36), actress known for her role
as 'The Mexican Spitfire' |
|
14 |
1931: Famous future
Spitfire pilot Douglas Bader crashes in Bristol Buldog II
wwww(which cost him his legs) |
During a tv program, Ray Hanna in Spitfire MH434 makes his famous low pass!
DECEMBER
|
DAY |
SPITFIRE & SEAFIRE CALENDAR
FACTS
|
|
15 |
1939: Fleet Air Arm ask
Supermarine to investigate for 50 Spit. for ops. from carrierdeck
1950: Last built Spitfire 24 (VN496) struck-off charge |
|
16 |
1987: First flight
post-rebuilt of Spitfire LF Mk XVIE, TE356/G-SXVI/N356TE |
|
17 |
1944: Mosquito with
GEE steers Spitfire PR.XIX (RM638) to target (Hannover) |
|
18 |
1941: 50 Spitfires
of 145 & 92 Sqn despatched to Middle East by convoy WS16 |
|
19 |
1948: 322 Sqn 1st
action in Dutch Indies (Spit. MH725 & MK923 attack radiobeacon) |
|
20 |
1936: First prototype
(K5054) flight with de Havilland variable pitch propeller
1940: Two Spitfires of 66 Sqn sweep over occup. France ('to test
the waters') |
|
21 |
1936: First flight
Junkers Ju 88 (a future victim to many Spitfires)
1942:
Prod. Spitfire Mk XII (EN223, ex-Mk Vc) with Griffon collected fr. A&AEE for tactical trials |
|
22 |
1940: Spitfire Mk
IIA, P7290, 421 Flt, forced land. in small field (out of fuel)
wwww(Was escorting a Wellington that came back over the Channel) |
|
23 |
1992: First flight
post-rebuilt of Spitfire PR.XI, PL965/G-MKXI |
|
24 |
1941: Mk VB, BL407
crashes after structual failure in flight (near Llanbedr) |
|
25 |
1944: Flt Lt J.J.
Boyle makes double 'kill' on Me 262 (Mk XIV, 411 Sqn RCAF) |
|
26 |
1941: First flight
Merlin 45 (XX) in Spitfire Mk I, K9788 |
|
27 |
1943:
(Dutch) 322 Squadron with Spitfires to RAF Hawking for sorties over Franch
2003: Shepherd Neame
(brewer of Spitfire Ale) intrim reports profit of 8.9%
|
|
28 |
1944: Spitfire Mk VB's
Floatplanes struck-off charge |
|
29 |
1943: Arrival of LF
IXB, MJ892 at Rotol Works for conv. to Floatplane
1985: First flight post-rebuilt of VIIIC, MV238/A58-758/VH-HET,
Colin Pale |
|
30 |
1942: Oberlt.
Karl-Heinz Bendert gets Ritterkreuz after 42 victory's
wwww(among them, 11 Spitfires) total in the war: 55 victory's |
|
31 |
1941: Spitfire Mk VB,
AD371 to Vickers as prototype for Type 358 Seafire F IIC |
Ben Miller and Alexander Armstrong in an ad for 'Spitfire Ale'
| | |
