M20gull

A quick aside on the biographies of the "Three Musketeers of the Strato" (not my invention). I have posted already a link which gives a potted biography for George Eric Clifford Genders: link. Genders collected a DFM for his service in Greece before his spell at 103 MU and an AFC after the war. Arthur George William Gold was awarded two AFCs, one of only 26 to receive the bar during WW2. There is a discussion here which provides some hint of what must have been an interesting career. George William Henry Reynolds who was awarded a DFC for his service with 103 MU is more elusive. Does anyone know more?

I will start this post with a plug for the March issue of Scale Aircraft Modelling with the second part of Paul Lucas's article on high altitude schemes. Further to my post on BR363, 601 was not the only squadron operating special Spitfires in August 1942. The Operation Record Book for 145 in August is not the tidiest but on 9.8.42 (which I think should be 10.8) there is reference to "Two Spitfires arrived, these were to be used to intercept high flying recco aircraft, and were to operate without cannons or R/T". These two, referred to as "stripped Spitfires", were sent up separately the following day to intercept a Ju 86 at 36,000ft. One of them is BR234 (as used by Genders in September) and the other one is BR487 (which appears later on in various places). BR234 is not mentioned again in the ORB, but BP985 makes three appearances including one scramble. There is only one interception mentioned in the ORB on 20.8.42 and this is well-described. The second Spitfire in the formation is referred to here as the "Marker" which, flown by F/Sgt Ker, reached 36,000ft and waved the stripped Spitfire in to engage 6,000 ft above. Sgt Duigan in the stripped Spitfire climbed to 40,000 ft, closed to with ten yards of a Ju 86 (yes, it does say ten yards; I was expecting it to get close because it only has limited armament but...). The guns were frozen and only one bullet fired so Sgt Duigan tried to ram the Ju but lost height in the slipstream and returned to base. From the ORB I would identify the Marker as BP847 and have no suggestions as to whether this is modified in any way. 36,000 feet is just about the ceiling of a Vc even in temperate climes. The stripped Spitfire is harder to identify; Duigan's aircraft in the list next to Ker's is BR467 but the flight times given are identical to an earlier entry in the list (there were four scrambles earlier in the day) so I would not hesitate to call that as incorrect and surmise that the correct serial is BR487. This is a period when the squadron was at Idku for a period of "training and rest"! Once again no photos that I have seen. Aside: On 3.11.42, flying EP254 the South African Sinclair Duigan, now a Pilot Officer, did not return from operations on what looks like a very hectic day. He became a prisoner of war ending up all the way away in Stalag Luft III.

An aside in relation to BR363: I was going back to check the references in 601 squadron ORB as I had only looked in detail at the beginning of July for the Malta connection and then August for the crash and the "did not return". Looking at the entry for 16 July there is a flight for BR363 piloted by Sgt Dipersio "crashed on take off". The summary states that this aircraft was burnt out and the pilot killed, together with the pilot of the Hurricane he crashed in to. This seems at odds with the rest of the ORB as BR363 was flying the next day. I checked further and to illustrate the inaccuracies of records this link, Remembering WWII Nova Scotia Casualties Querino Di Persio, confirms that it was another of Malta Spitfires BR459, not BR363.

601’s ORB shows BR363 arriving from Aboukir on 1.7.42

All this digging around in the 1942 ORBs has paid off for me. Looking ahead to early 1943 a small number of Spitfires were allocated to the Australian 451 Squadron for high level interceptions. I will come back to them later. The reason for picking this up now is the reference above to the ADF serials website http://www.adf-serials.com.au/2a58.htm which covers all aircraft allocated to Australian squadrons. On that website there is reference to another special aircraft BR363 as follows: BR363 Mk.Vc T (Spec) ff 2-5-42 39MU 5-5-42 47MU 7-5-42 10.6.42 Middle East 1.8.43 103MU modified with extended wing tips, RR Merlin two stage superchargers and four blade prop. Type B roundels and desert finish. Used by High Altitude Interception Flight Aboukir, Issued to 451 Sqn RAAF 0443 to 05.43 123 Sqn, 94 Sqn SOC 31-5-45. This compares with the Spitfires website which has: FF 2-5-42 39MU 5-5-42 47MU 7-5-42 Empire Conrad 20-5-42 flown off Eagle to Malta 3-6-42 601S FTR Sgt Lusty missing 31-8-42 [451S 123S 94S SOC 31-5-45] There is no reference to modifications on the Spitfires website but this is a Special Spitfire operated by a Squadron in August 1942. The 601 ORB has for 14.8.42 "1 Spitfire, specially modifiied for high altitude flying, took off to intercept an enemy aircraft (probably JU86 with pressure cabin), followed aircraft for some time but ran short of petrol and landed at Aboukir". The only aircraft this can be from the detailed records is BR363 flown by Sgt Lusty. On 21.8.42 Sgt Fasfan F (name is quoted; I think it shold be Farfan) crashed BR363 on landing "due to an error of judgement"; on this link mention is made of BR363 having an accident on 21.8.42 with 601 Sqn at LG154 where it made low approach and hit 45 gall petrol drum 25 yds from boundary knocking off stb u/c, caused further damage on final touch down. It cannot have been too bad as it started flying again on 27.8, flew to Aboukir and back on 29.8, took part in 2 sweeps over Alamein on 30.8 before the entry on 31.8.42 "Sgt Lusty KJ Up18:35 Did not return". Well Sgt Lusty obviously did, flying again on 12.9.42 but no sign of BR363 with 601 Squadron in September. I presume it went back to Aboukir for repair. The link to the accident details on 21.8.42 suggests that the 31.8.42 entry should be BR470 but I have not found evidence to back that up (I may just not have looked far enough yet). The adf-serials data introduces a new engine modification "RR Merlin two stage superchargers" and I suppose this could have been done before or after its stay with 601. I have not seen any photos of this aircraft.

@Geoffrey Sinclair thank you for the detailed answer. I can see me getting more distracted than ever. The point about inventory dates is not something I had considered but certainly makes a lot of sense. Regarding the 145 Squadron 'W', my mistake, the date should have been 2-8-42 and I have corrected my original post.

How easy is it to get distracted? Nothing to do with this subject I looked up other Spitfires with a Port Sudan link and in late 1942 28 Mk I Spitfires (including two conversion to Va) were dispatched to Port Sudan where it looks like they were supplied to 73 OTU based in Egypt. Some of the airframes were pre-war! Mk Is and Vas in desert colours? The only other one with a Port Sudan link is the sad case of AR276: 9MU 5-1-42 Crosby Co 21-2-42 SS441 20-3-42 Middle East 17-6-42 Hit bank on take-off Port Sudan CE 17-6-42 SOC 19-6-42 FH6.05 What a short career!

SS is given as Special Service here: http://www.airhistory.org.uk/spitfire/abbreviations.html

In the interest of finding out when BP985 might be in Egypt and to improve my understanding of the data I have been looking at the movements for BP980 to BP989 as this covers three aircraft that will feature in this topic. My observations and questions are as follows: I have grouped these planes by their method of arrival in the Middle East. BP980 FF 7-4-42 39MU 8-4-42 Renfrew 27-4-42 ff Malta 8-6-42 SOC 13-8-42 BP989 FF 13-4-42 8MU 14-4-42 RAF Abbotsinch 26-4-42 ff Malta 8-6-42 229S Engine exploded crashed in sea off Malta 16-10-42 “Renfrew” should be “RAF Renfrew”, another depot for Malta deliveries. These are both Operation Bowery, sailed on USS Wasp from Scapa Flow on 3-5-42; flown off 9-5-42. Surely their first flight Malta cannot be as late as 8-6-42? BP983 FF 8-4-42 6MU 10-4-42 47MU 15-4-42 Ripley 26-4-42 Takoradi Middle East 20-6-42 FACB 17-7-42 Taxied into Hurricane El Ballah 17-11-43 to 4382M MV Ripley (as used later for the Mk VIs) was on Convoy OS.27 which departed Liverpool on 2 May 1942 arriving Freetown on 19 May 1942 (From http://www.convoyweb.org.uk/) and presumably heading for Takoradi. IWM has a picture of this one labelled “T-B', of No. 249 Squadron RAF, in flight over Egypt, 1942 at the time of its transfer from Malta to North-West Africa, where it joined No. 92 Squadron RAF.” 145 had a ‘V’ 983 from 2-7-42 to 17-7-42 (the FACB) and a new ‘V’ from 20-7-42. Must be repaired; then shipped to Malta? BP984 FF 10-4-42 6MU 12-4-42 82MU 18-4-42 SS483 9-5-42 Middle East SOC 23-9-42 BP987 FF 11-4-42 6MU 12-4-42 82MU 17-4-42 SS483 9-5-42 Port Sudan 1-8-43 SOC 29-8-46 BP988 FF 11-4-42 6MU 12-4-42 32MU 17-4-42 SS483 9-5-42 Middle East 1-8-43 Crashed in forced landing 1m SW of Sorman West FAC3 26-8-43 All on SS483 (what is this? notes suggest Special Service boat). BP984 with 145 Squadron from 31-7-7-42. BP987 features later in this story in Egypt into 1943; flown by HV Freckleton (again more later) in 145 Squadron from 27-7-42. BP988 was with 601 Squadron from 26-6-42. Are these arriving via Takoradi? BP981 FF 7-4-42 39MU 8-4-42 47MU 17-4-42 SS485 9-5-42 India Middle East 145S 'ZX-N' 451S Missing presumed crashed in sea 18m N of Rosetta Egypt 4-4-43 BP982 FF 8-4-42 6MU 10-4-42 47MU 16-4-42 SS485 9-5-42 India Middle East 1-8-42 CB ops 22-8-42 Malta 602S 7-3-43 FAC2 1-11-43 BP985 FF 10-4-42 6MU 12-4-42 47MU 20-4-42 SS485 9-5-42 India Middle East 1-8-42 mods at 103MU Aboukir for high alt interception Engine cut forcelanded on beach and overturned El Gamil 7-10-44 SOC 27-10-44 BP986 FF 10-4-42 6MU 12-4-42 47MU 20-4-42 SS485 9-5-42 India Middle East C3 ops 22-10-42 All on SS485 and shown as “India” which should be crossed out. BP981 will be discussed later; flies from 2-8-42 with 145 Squadron as ‘W’ (first entry does look like N but all subsequent are W). BP982 flies with 601 Squadron from 29-7-42. BP 985 – Shacklady says this is at Aboukir on 4-5-42; is this possible? BP986 flying with 145 Squadron as ‘X’ from 25-7-42

I was looking for something else on Spitfire, the History when I came across the section on BP985. There is a date given of 4.5.42 for arrival at Aboukir, which seems a little early but does make it the first one. The mods described are: - raised compression ratio by working on the cylinder block and liners, which sounds hard work - 4 blade Dr Havilland 45/1 Hydromatic prop - Aboukir filter with 9.5 gallon oil tank - armour removed - cannons removed leaving just the inner machine guns - extended wing tips Nothing striking other than the reliance on a pair of 0.303 Brownings.

Catching up with these various issues (thank you all for your input): Mk VIs - I have updated the earlier post to correct the dates and add reference to the departure date of the last aircraft from 680. That means there were three aircraft that ended up in a PRU role with 680 but only one successful op between them. The three being BS106, BS133 and BS149 Merlin 61s - I have looked at the production database and there are a few other Vs that do not make a lot of sense. The only doubt is that some of the conversions to Mk IX were done in the same timeframe as prepping BR234 for export. I still cannot see just one being sent to Australia though. 601 and Malta - I have looked at the 601 ORB. On 23.6.42 there is reference to "A surprising telephone message from RAF Aboukir stating that S/Ldr Blades DFC and 8 pilots had arrrived from Malta". This is presumably the escorted 'A' Flight. Operations started on 1.7.42. Of the aircraft listed on the first three days I have identified six as Malta arrivals from the thread referenced further up: BR136, BR175, BR192, BR363, BR384 and BR459. In addition there is BR232 which was on the Empire Conrad. On 24.6.42 there is mention of an unidentifed "Spitfire that force landed owing to shortage of petrol en-route from Malta to Heliopolis". Spitfires and Malta is a subject I have been meaning to catch up with. I have some unread books already but looks like I might be acquring some more reading material... Compression ratio - the increase was obtained by skimming the cylinder heads

As I worked backwards from September I was expecting to find a transfer from Malta. The aircraft I was looking for was BR363 which is on Malta Operation Style. The 601 data on historyofwar does not mention a Malta stay in 1942. The ORB shows that they were on a ship via Freetown and Durban in May and June 1942. I will look further. There is definitely a link to Malta in this period.

I might need to rethink this. I was looking at some more ORBs for details of another plane when I came across more data for BR114 which might just mean a mistake on the database entry. 601 squadron arrived in Egypt from the UK at the end of June 1942 and started ops on 1 July with Vcs. BR114 was one of their aircraft and on its 8th op force landed with engine trouble. This was on 13.7.42 which might be the entry on the database instead of 13.9.42

I am prepared to put it down as a mistake on the cards or a misunderstanding on my part.

@Geoffrey Sinclair I think your data on the Merlin 61 / Mk IX exports suggests that BR234 can not have had a Merlin 61 fitted if it was the plane lost on 6-9-42 as the first Merlin 61s allocated for shipment abroad were in September 1942.

Following Brian Cull's book arriving my suggestion of the external pipes being for cockpit heating is confirmed incorrect; there was no cockpit heating. It doesn't say what the pipe was for though! The comments from Bing Cross in the book show that the process was incremental as they kept trying more changes, e.g. removing the Brownings and flying with just the cannons before swapping them.

Update following the arrival of the Flypast magazines. Nelson was better described as Flight Commander. Having arrived in the Middle East in September he flew tank-busting with 6 Squadron Hurricanes for a month before being injured. His recuperation involved high altitude flying with 103 MU including taking a PRIV up to 50,000 feet! He returned to the USA in early 1943. Having flown night-fighters, tank busters, high altitude intereceptors and PR for the RAF he joined the USAF and lost his life on bomber escort.

A copy of Brian Cull’s Fighters over the Aegean has arrived here today. Looks a good read from my first skim.

@Geoffrey Sinclair thank you for the detailed answer. Who knew it would be so difficult to count a couple of hundred aircraft?!

I thought the discussion on pressurised fuel tanks sounded familiar. Over on Vol 2 all the Spitfire questions there was chat in relation to a vent pipe. The tropical Vs should already have a pressurised fuel tank, maybe it needed a bit of a boost.

With not much more to add on BR234 or BP985 I thought I would address the role of the Mk VIs. I will come back to BP985 later though. BR114 I will discuss in more detail too. In the text Morgan and Shacklady gives a list of four VIs sent "to reinforce BP985 high alt FV against Ju86P-2 sorties": BS106, BS124, BS134, BS149. However the serial numbers section includes the same reference for BS133 which is usually included in this list, sometimes with an oblique reference to another unidentified one. These VIs arrive in Takoradi on the MV Ripley on 3-10-42. (This was Ripley's last contribution - having visited other ports in West Africa she was sunk on 12-12-42 by a U-boat in the South Atlantic as she returned to the UK via Trinidad, all 41 lives were saved for which Gordon Lynton Hargreaves, the fifth engineer, received an MBE). Also on the Ripley was a PRIV (not relevant to this story) and one other Spitfire BS427. This is recorded in Shacklady as a VII but is on the production database as a VI. Maybe this is a sixth one to add to the list? Initially I thought there were only the photos of BS124 ('A') but thanks to @corto's post we have a shot of 'C' as well, which it seems reasonable to assume is the one in the back of the Joe Willis photo .[edit: originally thought to be BS133 but later photos show this to be BS134] Mods for the VIs, which were intended as Markers, are fewer than for the Vs: Removal of the machine guns Vokes filter I've seen different intepretations of the colour scheme. I painted my BS124 standard desert colours presuming they were applied before shipping (this is how DK Decals specify it in their High Altitude Spitifres set) and would not change that. You may feel differently. The additional weight of the pressurisation did not offer any advantage over the Vs so the VIs were quickly discarded. It is suggested that the planes were sent to 680 squadron for PRU duties. BS124 has no entry on the database after a flying accident on 12-12-42. 680 was formed on 1-2-43 from 'A' flight of 2 PRU. 2 PRU Operation Record Book is not digitised but 680's is. They receive two VIs in February (corrected from March) and one in March (Corrected from April). So far I have found entries for: BS106 - two communication flights in July from Cyprus, no ops BS133 - one op to Crete on 5-5-43, total flying time that day 9.25 hours BS149 - force landed cat II 15-4-43 with engine trouble, no ops I had assumed that a high-flying PRU spitfire would have downward facing cameras but BS106 is recorded as "FR with F.8 oblique camera". I would expect them to be repainted as well Update: BS106 is the last one with 680, returning to 103MU on 2.8.43. BS134 and BS427 could presumably have been kept by 103 MU for spares or cannibalised to improve the Vs. They are not struck off charge until 1946 and 1944 respectively so they were somewhere! There are no photos of them in their PRU role so any model would be speculative (which I am not above doing). I can see a Bosun Blue FR VI with machine guns deleted, oblique camera, Vokes filter, 90 gallon slipper tank, pale blue roundels, grey serial BS133, no fin flash.

I should have included that the reason for my doubt on BR234 is that it is listed in Shores' Air War in The Mediterranean as the plane lost on 6-9-42 in the successful sortie by Eric Genders. Actually it is given as BR243 but that is just below the claim for the Ju 86 which is against BR234. The Strike off charge date for BR234 is 13-9-42

Next I want to look at more references in the production database for two of these: BR114 - the database has "Crosby Co" 23-3-42 before the plane leaves the UK and "mods" immediately after. "Crosby Co" appears on 78 Mk Vs but I have not been able to find any more information online. BR234 - the database suggests that the plane has a Merlin 61 fitted. As this one was destined for Australia this modification, if correct, must have been made in Africa, presumably at 103 MU. I cannot see why you would ship a Merlin 61 to Aboukir with its associated spares. Why not just ship a IX? I guess there is no way of knowing the truth here.

I think it is BR114 for a number of reasons but it is only speculation. Morgan and Shacklady claims that BR114 is named "Irene" and I think that there is a script on the fuel tank cover consistent with that name. Secondly the production database has a Ops Cat B on 13-9-42, i.e. after the Ju86 claims. This suggests to me that it needed some repair and that may have required a repaint. That is reinforced in my mind as the later group of photos, which because they include VIs must be November or later, show BR114 in 'b' pattern that should not have been there originally. These later photos also do not have the "Irene".

Another aside: Someone has Genders' log book covering this period