Can anyone help filling in the history of this Spitfire? I am helping some researchers in Poland in documenting the history of this aircraft while it was flying with No. 421 RCAF Squadron.
I have reviewed the ORB and it appears that it was delivered around December of 1944. I have the aircraft’s first flight in early January and the last was June 26, 1945 with a wing show over Copenhagen.
This aircraft shared a 1/3 kill while F/O Edmund H Mann was flying her in this Spitfire(SM411) coded AU-E (possible). The diary states:
“B.154 Airfield Reinsehlen, Germany
May 1, 1945
Squadron supposed to be first off on armed recces, but weather looked pretty duff. Odd bods getting up at the last minute for breakfast. 10:00 hours Squadron called for imdediate readiness on a secret show. Nobody had a clew what the show was about but had a great many ideas. By 12:00 hours noon, still no signs and everyone returned to the Mess, for a quick lunch and then to briefing. Squadron airborne at 13:15 to escort 12 Mitchells to LUBECK.
After that, normal armed recce and escort jobs, and on the last show 1 FW190 destroyed shared by WO1 P.S. Murphy, F/O Edmund H. Mann abd F/L W.P. Harper. Filling of swimming pool stopped as camps water supply running short.”
Shacklady and Morgan fill in more gaps with this (no dates however):
Mark XVIe
421 (F) Squadron date. Date and location?
83 Group Service Unit. Date and location?
103 Fighter Refresher School. Date and location?
3 Civil Anti-Aircraft Co-operative Unit. Date and location?
BoB Film
Maint. Airframe 7142M
Gate Gaurd?
To Poland and extant in Museum in Krakow
F/L Edmund Mann passed away on November 18, 1996 in Sydney Nova Scotia and I may have found his widow living at the last known address. I am hoping to find copies of Edmund’s logbook and possibly some photos of this aircraft while he was flying her. Would like to fully document the history of this aircraft during WWII and afterwards.
Can anyone help me? I just contacted the RAFM for a copy of the Movement Card.
Best wishes,
Lee Walsh
[email]walshlee@hotmail.com[/email]
Toronto, Canada
By: Mark12 - 1st April 2005 at 10:03
Gosh Mark..
How did you get sponsorship form Vauxhall Motors for your research ??
Did they also supply you with transport such as the ‘Viva’?
LOL
Indirectly ‘yes’ to both questions.
Well actually the pick of the experimental fleet and some very hot and tasty vehicles there were too – ‘Droop Snoot’ Firenza, HS twin cam Chevette, V8 Ventoras etc. Use of the heavy commercial fleet at the weekends, for ‘driving appraisal’ was also a perk of the job. Many a Seafire/Spitfire item…..
Then in 1980 they moved the whole ‘shooting match’ to Opel in Germany. 🙁
Mark
By: paulmcmillan - 1st April 2005 at 09:07
Gosh Mark..
How did you get sponsorship form Vauxhall Motors for your research ??
Did they also supply you with transport such as the ‘Viva’?
LOL
By: Mark12 - 1st April 2005 at 08:16
Lee,
SM411.
On charge 421 Squadron 18 January 1945 until 26 July 1945 when it transferred to 83 Group Support unit.
The movement card for this Spitfire along with the majority of the surviving Spitfire cards were stolen from the Air Historic Branch prior to the RAFMus microfiche copying exercise in the early 1970’s.
Thankfully I and one or two others transcribed the cards.
Oh yes. We know who the culprit was!! 😡
Attached are my notes of the time.
Mark
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April 1, 2005 at 2:01 am