Grace Spitfire

Well I ordered the book which will be very interesting to read once it gets here 🙂

Sorry Miggers, Yakriders got it spot on, gold star for that man well done!!!

I must admit cuz,I didn’t know she’d served with 332.

I knew she was one of Johhny Houlton’s “fleet” of a/c’s he’d flown,hence the OU*V(485 Sqn RNZAF) codes.

There was a chap that did two very interesting models of her a few years ago,based on the Occidental kit I think.

One was of her in her wartime “guise” as Johhny Houlton’s personal mount,t’other was as she is now(Aeroclub or Brigade’s Mk9 2 pew fuselage conversion) as The Grace Spitfire.

Miggs:D

Sorry Miggers, Yakriders got it spot on, gold star for that man well done!!!

Thanks Wessex!

ML 407

Hi DCK,

As a starting point, back in the mid 1990’s a book titled “2nd TAF SPITFIRE – The story of Spitfire ML 407” written by Hugh Smallwood and published by Solo Enterprises, was available. The ISDN is 0 9511390 2 9.

I have checked the Grace Spitfire website and it is still available from them at a very reasonable £12-99 plus P & P. I have attached the web address

http://www.ml407.co.uk/pages/main.html

Regards

Eric

excellent information:)

Thank you so much for the help. Its mostly appreciated. 😀

The reason for this question is that if the Spit in question indeed have been with 332 (and it looks like it have been), I would take a chance and say it’s the only Norwegian serving Spit still flying. I might dig in some more and write an article about it.

Another question (my apologies if it sounds too stupid!)

Is Hendon the place to go if I want to dig up the combat reports from these few missions with 332? Or will they be stored in Norway?

ML407 – squadron service

The following quote is from the second edition of our book Spitfire Survivors – published in 1986:

This aircraft was built at Castle Bromwich as an L.F.IXC against Contract No. B.981687/39 of 28 May 1942 and delivered to No. 33 M.U. Lyneham on 23 April 1944. Six days later, ATA ferry pilot Jackie Moggeridge delivered it to No. 485 Sqdn (RNZAF) with which it saw considerable operational service as the personal aircraft of Johnnie Houlton — although it was flown by a total of 16 New Zealanders during its seven-month stay with the unit. Coded “OU-V”, ML407 flew 137 sorties with No. 485, including 69 fighter sweeps and bombing missions (armed with a 500 lb bomb), 30 patrols over the Normandy beach-head and six armed recce missions. It accounted for two Ju.88s (one shared), two Bf. 109s and another 109 damaged, one of the l09s being downed by Houlton over Omaha Beach on D-Day itself.

It sustained damage (Cat. Ac) due to presumed enemy action on 12 October, but by 19 October the damage had been reclassified Cat. A, and on 30 October the aircraft was with No. 420 RSU of No. 84 Gp, 2nd TAF for repairs; these were completed by 11 December, when it was redelivered to No. 485 Sqdn.

On 28 December, ML407 was reassigned to No. 145 Wing of 2nd TAF, but on 4 January 1945 it was placed on charge with No. 341 (Alsace) Sqdn, a Free French unit operating within No. 131 Wing. Its stay was very brief, although it did acquire No. 341’s code of “NL-D”, before moving on to a variety of volunteer units: No. 308 (Krakowski) Sqn on 11 January, No. 349 (Belgian) Sqdn on 8 February as “GE-P”, back to No. 485 (RNZAF) Sqdn on 22 February, No. 345 (Free French) Sqdn on 22 March and — finally — No. 332 (Norwegian) Sqdn on 19 April as “AH-B”. ML407 was placed in the care of No. 151 Recovery Unit at Wevelgem, Belgium, on 26 April 1945 and it was eventually shipped back to the U.K. to be placed in store at No. 29 M.U. High Ercall on 27 September 1945.

Despite rumours to the contrary, Graham and I are still working on the third edition … it will be published “when it’s ready”!

(It will be a bl**dy big book when it’s finished too!)

You are quite right. ML407 did serve with 332 Squadron at Schijndel and Twenthe. It joined the squadron on 16 April 1945, flying its last mission of the war on 25 April.

The pilots:
Sgt R Anonsen 2 missions
Lt J Roesland 1 mission
Sgt E Stigset 2 missions

ML407 flew with the following squadrons:

485 (New Zealand)
341 (Free French)
308 (Polish)
349 (Belgian)
345 (Free French)
332 (Norwegian)
485 (New Zealand) for a second time

Source of information: 2nd TAF Spitfire. The History of Spitfire ML407 by Hugh Smallwood,

No connection with Norway. Delivered new R.A.F. 4/44, Irish Air Corps, 6/51.

http://www.ml407.co.uk/

I thought it was one of Johnny Houlton’s mounts,hence OU*V.

Spadegrip or Mark,would you care to enlighten us?

Miggers:D