Aces High Bulletin Board
General Forums => Aircraft and Vehicles => Topic started by: Puck on April 28, 2008, 11:01:37 AM
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I've been reading about the air war in Italy, and they have made several mentions of American Spitfires flying combat patrols. There is also a photo of a Spitfire in early American AAF livery without any bars.
This is the first I've heard of Americans flying combat missions in Spitfires. I've heard of photo recon, but no combat. Anyone have any other details?
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Here (http://www.star-games.com/exhibits/spitfire/spitops.html)
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I've been reading about the air war in Italy, and they have made several mentions of American Spitfires flying combat patrols. There is also a photo of a Spitfire in early American AAF livery without any bars.
This is the first I've heard of Americans flying combat missions in Spitfires. I've heard of photo recon, but no combat. Anyone have any other details?
<edit>
Here (http://www.star-games.com/exhibits/spitfire/spitops.html)
</edit>
We flew a lot of combat ops in Spitfires, but they weren't well publisized stateside as the news/government/military understandably wanted to focus on American boys doing great in American built machines. I can think of several reasons, such as keeping the moral of the workforce up, i.e. on't make them doubt the value of the equipment they are making by suggesting we need to use foreign machines.
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It started before the entry of the US when the American-volunteer Eagle Squadron was at large...
But there were squadrons, yes...
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I think the 4th FG started in Spits.
31st FG flew Spits as part of 8th AF out of England (getting the first 8th AF kill IIRC). 31st then went to N. Africa with the 12th AF flying Spits until mid '44 or so when they switched to Mustangs and the 15th AF.
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Hi Puck:
The 31st and 52nd Fighter Groups of the USAAF used Spitfires in the Mediterranean Theater of Operations from Nov. 42 into Spring of 1944. I created a web page on the 31st quite a few years ago that discusses their use of Spitfires, see: 31st Fighter Group (http://www.wwiiaircraftperformance.org/31st/31st.html)
There are some scans of Combat Reports from 52nd Fighter Group pilots whilst flying Spitfire IX’s HERE (http://www.spitfireperformance.com/spit9v109g.html)
(http://www.wwiiaircraftperformance.org/52nd-fg-spitfire9-wdw.jpg)
52nd FG Spitfire IX EN 354, La Sebala, Tunisia, June 1943
(http://www.wwiiaircraftperformance.org/307th-spitfire9-mxd.jpg)
31st FG Spitfire IX EN 307, Le Sers, Tunisia, May 1943
Of course the 4th FG used Spitfires in the ETO. There were a number of units that used them for photo recce also.
Mike
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The 4th FG flew Spit Vs from Sept 42 > Apr 43.
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They were somewhat green when they entered though. Wonder how they faired.
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Some of the American Spitfire V's fought at Dieppe on August 19th.
There are a lot more occasions as well. Check out this:
http://books.google.ca/books?id=mLJcA6hGWvkC&pg=PA90&dq=American+Spitfire+Aces+of+WWII&sig=2ZI_kdHgjpNMFryMtqk8I7Pxhg0#PPP1,M1 (http://books.google.ca/books?id=mLJcA6hGWvkC&pg=PA90&dq=American+Spitfire+Aces+of+WWII&sig=2ZI_kdHgjpNMFryMtqk8I7Pxhg0#PPP1,M1)
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no such thing :t
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31st FG had Spit Vs, IXs and VIIIs first in ETO then MTO
52nd FG had Spit Vs and VIIIs MTO
4th FG started in Spit Vs before transitioning to P47Cs ETO
USAAF recce units in England flew Spitfire PRXIs ETO