THE SPITFIRE CALENDAR
Compiled by Pieter Jutte
SEPTEMBER
|
DAY |
SPITFIRE & SEAFIRE CALENDAR
FACTS
PRE-WAR --
WAR YEARS 1939-1945 -- POST-WAR |
|
1 |
1942: 3 Spitfires PR.IV's (No 1 PRU) to north Russia to look for German navy
|
|
2 |
1944: First flight production Seafire Mk XV (SR446) with Griffon VI |
|
3 |
1941: 53 OTU pilot, Sgt. D. St.John, Mk I, K9904, could not find base, crashed (survived) |
|
4 |
1939: Prototype K5054 written of after turn-over a. landing, Farnborough
1942: 11 Mk IX's run out of fuel during escort B-17's (4 pilots killed, 7 prisoner) |
|
5 |
1940: Flg Off Richard Hillary (603 Sqn) shot down in Mk I, X4277 (wounded)
wwwwWrote book 'The Last Enemey' (1942) |
|
6 |
1939: First 'kill' for Spitfire (2 Hurricanes of 56 Sqn), costly mistake by 74 Squadron |
|
7 |
1940: Luftwaffe bombers switches to major cities, giving RAF FIghter Com. some air |
|
8 |
1944: First delivery of Spitfire Mk XVI (PV288) with Packard-Merlin
1944: First flight Seafire Mk 46 (TM383) |
|
9 |
1943: Allied Salerno landing with also Seafire support (in 2 days 67 lost!) |
|
10 |
1940: During 1st night-flight, Mk I, L1040 (602 Sqn) pilot crashed on golf course |
|
11 |
1942: Capt. Eric Brown lands first Seafire on carrier (HMS Biter) |
|
12 |
1931: Schneider Trophy outright won with Supermarine S6B (F/L Boothman)
1942: F/O Galitzine in Mk IX, BS273, intercepts Ju 88R at 43,000 ft
wwww(highest air combat of war, Ju 88R escapes) |
|
13 |
1945: HMS Smiter arrives in Hong Kong with Spitfire XIV's of 132 Squadron |
|
14 |
1988: First flight post-rebuilt of Mk XVIE, TB863/ZK-XVI for Alpine Fighter Coll. |
|
15 |
1940: Climax Battle of Britain; 7 Spitfires & 22 Hurricanes lost & 52 German planes
1969: Premiere of movie 'Battle of Britain' |
Spitfire Mk VB, AB910 as Flt Lt Jan Zumbach his Mk V, BM144
(see picture below)
SEPTEMBER
|
DAY |
SPITFIRE & SEAFIRE CALENDAR
FACTS
|
|
16 |
1965: Spitfire Mk VB, AB910 goes into inventory Battle of Britain Memorial Flight |
|
17 |
1944: Spit. Mk IXB, MK959, (still airworthy) flew 2 miss. during Operation Market-Garden |
|
18 |
1940: No.92 Sqn lost 2 Mk I's (N3193, N3283) to Me 109's near Gravesend |
|
19 |
1941: Spitfire Mk I, R7115, 122 Squadron dives into ground (SOC 26-9) |
|
20 |
1945: First prod. Spiteful, RB515 engine explodes in flight, belly landing (repaired)
1995: 'Ace' Alan Deere dies (war victory total: 17 destr. & 1 shared)
|
|
21 |
1941: Polish 315 Sqn. in Spitfire Mk V engage 1st time FW 190 during 'Circus' 101 |
|
22 |
1936: Acceptance test of the 1030 hp Merlin G (II), for Spitfire Mk I & Hurricane Mk I |
|
23 |
1940: Spitfire Mk I, P9371 (92 Squadron) crashed at Biggin Hill after fight with Me 109's
wwww(only loss of a Spitfire this day) |
|
24 |
1939: First flight Spitfire Mk II (ex-Mk I K9788) with Merlin XII
1940: 90 dead after 1st Luftwaffe bombing on Supermarine Southampton |
|
25 |
1943: Write off after dive during test Spitfire Mk VIII (JF318) with Griffon |
|
26 |
1940: Second bombing on Supermarine Southampton (135 dead),
wwwwSpitfire production drops from 268 to 151 in one month |
|
27 |
1940: 15 Spitfires lost during defence of London
1941: Prototype Spitfire Mk III, N3297 first flight with Merlin 61 & 4 blade propeller
|
|
28 |
1940: Mk I, P7369 (611 Sqn) fatal crash on landing (pilot fatigue) |
|
29 |
1942: No.71, 121, 133 Eagle Sqn's become part of USAAF as 334th, 335th & 336 FS |
|
30 |
1944: Spitfire Mk IX, MK732 makes a crashlanding and ends her war flying carrier |
Flt Lt Jan Zumbach, 303 'Polish' Sqnuadron with his Mk V, BM144,
(middle) Wg Cdr Stefan Witorzenc, OC 1st Polish Fighter Wing,
(right) Fl/lt Zygmunt Bienkowski 'A' Flight 303 Sqn Commander
| | |
