Hi all
Living in Rochdale – well someone has to – I am researching the service history of the above two Spitfires bought by the town following the Spitfire Week appeal in 1940.
I have researched their details in the excellent “Gifts of War” by Messrs Boot & Sturtivant but would be grateful if anyone could supply any further detail perhaps from those of us with a special interest in the Squadrons they served. Indeed any photographs would be very welcome as I have only one and would be grateful to add to the record.
Incidentally in 1943 the MAP plaque noting the towns contribution was presented by then Wg Cmr Percy Pickard of “Target for Tonight” and Amiens Prison Raid fame
Many thanks
By: shmrali - 16th December 2013 at 18:58
Hello Lion Rock,
My father was an American pilot who was recruited by the Clayton Knight Committee in 1940 and went to England via Canada to ferry aircraft for the ATA during 1941. I was recently sent a link to a youtube video [http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=ie3SrjLlcUY&sns=em] that contains some film from the WW II era produced by the relatives of a Flight Surgeon who shot thousands of feet of film. This clip highlights a reconnaissance pilot from that era. Although this film was shot the year after my father’s service and didn’t relate to him, it did inspire me to pull out his old flight logs to see if I could track down the history of some of the aircraft he flew. I started looking for Spitfires, and strangely enough the first page I turned to included an entry for May 29, 1941 flying Spitfire P-8648 from “Prest” to Ringway. I plugged the aircraft and serial number into my web browser search bar and up popped your thread above. It is nice to see that this Spit is still in one piece and valued by a community. My dad died in 1967, but it would make him happy to know one of the planes he flew is still around.
I will be happy to email you a copy of the pages from his flight log that relate to this flight, if you send me your email address. I am sending you his name and my contact information via a private message.
Have a Merry Christmas and a Joyful and Prosperous 2014!
Sign In
February 19, 2013 at 7:14 am