THE SPITFIRE CALENDAR
Compiled by Pieter Jutte
FEBRUARY
|
DAY |
SPITFIRE & SEAFIRE CALENDAR
FACTS
PRE-WAR --
WAR YEARS 1939-1945 -- POST-WAR |
|
1 |
1913:
Famous test pilot for Vickers, Jeffrey Kindersley Quill is born (died 20 Feb. 1996)
1980: Spitfire LF Mk IX, (T.9) ML407
is registered as G-LFIX for Nick Grace (see picture on bottom) |
|
2 |
1939: Supermarine Specification
No.462 outlines what becomes the Spitfire Mk III
1944: New Spitfire F.23 proposed almost called 'Valiant' (non produced)
|
|
3 |
1943: Wilhelm 'Wutz'
Galland (brother of Adolf Galland) Co of II/JG26 with FW 190
wwwwscores 2 Spitfires from 308 & 416 Sqn + a Ventura
(total Wutz Galland; 54)
1944:
Sqn Ldr F.L.Lomas (680 Recc Sqn) in PR Mk VI makes 20 miles glide to base, after fuel leak around Cyclades |
|
4 |
1941: Spitfire Mk I, P7735, 91 Sqn destroyed by
straffing Bf 109's at Hawkinge |
|
5 |
1952: Spitfire Mk 19 (81 Sqn) achieved highest Spitfire
altitude, 51,550 feet (15,712m) (Flt Lt Ted Powles)
2002: Spitfire Mk VIII, MV459 found in Ambala, India, crashed on 13-3-1947
wwwwPlt Off D'Cruz escaped unhurt (passed away in 1999) |
|
6 |
1943: Spitfires first 'kill'
(Ki.46 Dinah) in Pacific theatre, Mk VC, 54 Sqn. Flt Lt Foster |
|
7 |
1942: Spitfire Mk I, P9448, 81 Sqn
written of after hitting snowbank at Ouston |
|
8 |
1944: 441, 442 & 443 RCAF (114 Wing)
arrives in Britain (with Spitfire Mk V's) |
|
9 |
1942: Mk VB, BL326, 130 Sqn, crashed
after take-off on parked P-40 at Perranporth |
|
10 |
1984: First flight post-rebuilt of Mk IXE, ML417/G-BJSG, TFC, Stephen Grey |
|
11 |
1944: 'Ace' Major Franz
Beyer (81 destroyed + 10 on ground),
wwwwhit tree during pursue by Spitfires
near Venlo Holland and was killed |
|
12 |
1794:
HMS Spitfire RN (ex-French schooner 'Poulette') capsized off Santo Domingo (crew killed)
2007:
Alex Henshaw MBE legendary airrace- and Spitfire testpilot dies (94) |
|
13 |
1990: First engine run
(jaguar V-12) of wooden replica prototype K5054 |
|
14 |
1945: WAAF Margaret
Horton makes daring circuit on tail Mk VB, AB910 (lived to tell the tale) |
Spitfire Mk Vb, AB910, WAAF Margaret
Horton made a daring circuit on the tail
FEBRUARY
|
DAY |
SPITFIRE & SEAFIRE CALENDAR
FACTS
|
|
15 |
1942: 53 OTU, Mk II,
P7994 burst tyre before land., write off after land. frozen ground |
|
16 |
1943: 'Ace' Heinz-Edgar
Berres gets his Deutsches Kreuz in Gold;
wwwwclaimed 11 Spitfires
around Malta (total: 52 before MIA, 25-7-43) |
|
17 |
1941: Air Ministry requests
development of Spitfire with pressurised cabin |
|
18 |
1936: First engine ground run Type 300 (Spitfire prototype) at Woolston |
|
19 |
1942: 2 Mk V's (AD323 & BL682) 19 Sqn collide during take-off (both Cat.E)
1945: Sqn. Ldr. James `Ginger' Lacey last 'kill' (28) in Spitfre Mk VIII, (Ki 43 'Oscar') |
|
20 |
1934: First flight Supermarine Type 224 (the unofficial 'Spitfire'), a failure
1948: Last Spitfire F24, VN496, leaves Supermarine Southampton for RAF
1956: Joseph 'Joe' Smith, Vickers designer, dies |
|
21 |
1940: Spitfire Mk I, K9810, 616 Sqn, flew into sea during search for convoy |
|
22 |
1940: 602 Sqn. Spitfire IB, L1007, (only cannon built Mk I) downs a He 111 (shared kill) |
|
23 |
1940: 1st flight Spitfire Mk Ia, P9374 (crashed 24-5-'40 Calais,
restored G-MKIA 1st flight 30-8-2011)
1990: First post-restauration flight of Tr.9, PV202/G-TRIX (ex-LF Mk IX) |
|
24 |
1943: No 41 Sqn. receives
first Mk XII (EN228),
(only 100 Mk XII produced)
1948: Last F.24 (VN494) delivered to RAF (also last Spitfire for RAF) |
|
25 |
1942: Prototype Mk IIC, AD371,
for Seafire test to Farnborough |
|
26 |
1942: First flight of Mk IX prototype,
conversion of Mk V, AB197 |
|
27 |
1946: First flight of prototype
Spitfire F.24, converted from F.22, PK313
|
|
28 |
1942: Mk V's AB265 & AA844 of
411 Sqn fatal mid-air collision near Manston |
|
29 |
1944: Wt Off B. Bunting DFC,
93 Sqn, first two 'kills' (FW190) in Mk IX, MH934 (total; 5) |
|
Spitfire LF.Mk IX, (T.9) ML407, (G-LFIX)
| | |
