Belfast Telegraph Fund Spitfires

Thanks roadracer. I had read that, hadn’t thought of contacting the author!

just remembered this, doesnt give much in the way of details But i wonder of the journalist might be able to provide some help from Tele’s archives??

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/local-national/how—belfast-telegraph-spitfire-fund-captured-readers–imagination-14792658.html

Interesting reading! Thanks!

Enniskillen

Extract from appendices of ‘Swift to Battle. Vol.1’

Spitfire Mk IIa P7832:RN-P ENNISKILLEN

Presented through the Belfast Telegraph Spitfire Shilling Fund, Mk.IIa P7832 was taken on charge at No.6 MU Brize Norton on 1 January 1941. On 12 January whilst ferrying from Brize Norton to Tangmere Fg Off W .C. Potter met deteriorating weather and had to make a forced landing at Farnborough, but overshot and hit an
obstruction, causing Category C damage. The aircraft went on the 20th to No.1 Civilian Repair Unit at Cowley for repairs, and then was flown to No.12 MU Kirkbride on 7 April, to be allotted to No.72 (Basutoland) Sqn at Acklington on 23 April, flying convoy patrols. On 9 July, Nos.72 and 74 Sqns exchanged aircraft and bases, and No.74 (Trinidad) Sqn took over P7832 for convoy patrols.

Thanks for the offer!

Picked up a print of the original painting at an Ulster Airshow back in the early 90’s !

Have had a look at his website and cant see a copy there. Maybe someone here can locate a copy online but i cant !

If you dont have any luck let me know and i will see if i can get some sort of digital photo thingy !

Should’nt that be ” Stroke City ” ??? 😀

Keep us in the loop as regards the models, I presume you have seen P7823 Down coded F-TM shown in “Eglinton Eagles” by Mark Postlethwaite ?

I haven’t seen that photo. Thanks for the heads up, I’ll have to look into that. This is more of a long term project, so don’t know when I’ll have finished any models.

I edited my initial post as I had ‘Londonderry’ and ‘City of Derry’ mixed up.

Should’nt that be ” Stroke City ” ??? 😀

Keep us in the loop as regards the models, I presume you have seen P7823 Down coded F-TM shown in “Eglinton Eagles” by Mark Postlethwaite ?

Thanks VoyTech.

P7834 was RY-F with 313 Sqn
P7835 was ZF-S with 308 Sqn
P7839 was ZF-C with 308 and PK-T with 315

spitfireman and kev35 thanks alot! Google has helped find a few individual code letters. ‘Belfast’ was DW-S, ‘Enniskillen’ RN-S, ‘Mountains of Mourne’ GW-E, ‘Aldergrove’ NK-G, and ‘Armagh’ QV-J.

Fighter Command Losses has the following for:

P7684 – P/O A R Ross killed. Patrol. FTR after combat with Ju88 off the Isle of Wight.

P7833 – P/O C Colebrook killed. Patrol. Shot down by Me 109 of JG51 1635 off Clacton. (Possibly P7383.)

Spitfire ? P/O J Czachowski. Circus. FTR. (315 Sqdn. pilot flying with 308.) As the only other 308/315 Spitfire lost that day is accounted for it seems likely this might be P7835.

Hope this is useful, but it doesn’t help you with individual aircraft codes. I presume you have the Squadron codes?

Regards,

kev35

Tyrone was P7686

Antrim was P7828

Gifts of war page 364

Baz

I edited my initial post as I had ‘Londonderry’ and ‘City of Derry’ mixed up. I found the final Spitfire was named ‘Tyrone’. So I need the serial numbers for ‘Antrim’ and ‘Tyrone’.

I’ll have another dig later and see if I can find owt else of any interest.

Regards,

kev35

Thanks again.

I found the 16th Spitfire. It was named ‘Antrim’ but I don’t have a serial number.

I’ll have another dig later and see if I can find owt else of any interest.

Regards,

kev35

Thanks for that kev35! Very useful. I’m toying with the idea of making a few models of some of these Spitfires and don’t have much to go on despite their names and serial numbers.

P7683 – 603/111/123/58 OTU/56 OTU/58OTU. Collided with P8387 in formation and crashed, Hammering Mere farm, 19/8/43 DBF.

P7684 – 610. Missing after interception of Do215 off Isle of Wight 15/4/41.

P7685 – 610 Flew into hill in bad weather 2m NE West Dean, Sussex, 23/3/41.

P7823 – 54/504/152/504. Dived into Ground, Roughlean, near Lurgan, Co. Down 7/1/42

P7832 – 72/74/610/340/61 OTU/52 OTU/FAC Gosport/5 PAFU. SOC 28/6/45.

P7833 – 54. Missing, believed after engine failure on patrol off Clacton 20/4/41.

P7834 – 66/609/313/417/52 OTU. Collided with P9562 during practice attack and crashed near Bear Inn, Cirencester 10/9/42.

P7835 – 66/609/118/308/315. Missing while escorting Blenheims over France 24/7/41.

P7838 – 611/602/122/177/AEAF CF. SOC5/6/45.

P7839 – 74/308/315/610. Hit ground recovering from dive 1m NNW of Bewholme near Catfoss 3/10/41.

P7840 – 64/340/53 OTU/CGS. SOC 5/6/45.

P7841 – 65/616. Caught fire in dispersal pen, Tangmere, 5/3/41; DBF.

P7842 – 66/118. Bellylanded in forced landing near Ibsley 3/5/41; DBR.

P7843 – 66/118/152/306/66. Collided with P8430 5m NW of the Lizard and crashed 24/1/42.

P7849 – 19/131/Cv VA/2US/5US. To USAAF18/11/42.

Information from Air Britain’s Royal Air Force Aircraft P1000 – R9999

Hope this is useful.

Regards,

kev35