Dear All,
in a old issue of “Fly Past” magazine (I don’t remember but maybe December 2003) there is an article about No 145 Sqn in Italy with an interesting photo showing a Spitfire Mk VIII with code “ZX-J” and Sqn. commander pennant. I suspect it was Neville Duke’s personal plane when he was at the head of 145 Sqn in 1944.
Please if someone have this magazine or some other information regarding this plane may you help me?
Thank you in advance
Regards
Flavio
By: Veltro - 1st January 2005 at 23:40
ZX-J
Mark 12,
The lake is very deep and many years ago an underwater exploration revealed nothing but an HU-16A Albatros which had crashed in a known location.
Bear in mind that the lake is extremely deep and that much of the accessible wreckage was recovered for scrap just after the war. This included the Cant. Z.511 four-engine floatplane, which had been scuttled to prevent it from falling in German hands.
The lake has since been designated a water reservoir for Rome and all power navigation banned. Still, I would imagine that with proper paperwork and funding a dedicated search might be attempted.
Veltro
By: David Burke - 1st January 2005 at 19:11
Volunteers for a couple of weeks in Italy form an orderly queue here!
By: ...starfire - 1st January 2005 at 18:06
(http://www.letsgo.com/ITA/09-Lazio-439)
Lake Bracciano
About an hour away by bus, Lake Bracciano’s volcanic sands and huge body of water provides Rome with its nearest freshwater beach. Fresh air, cool water, and a lush and hilly surrounding landscape compensate for its minor flaws. … A ferry ride from the beach to nearby Anguillara or Trevignano across the lake offers more spectacular scenery.
Sounds promising … 😉
By: Mark12 - 1st January 2005 at 17:47
Veltro,
Well let’s go and recovery it then.
Fresh or salt water?
Mark
By: Veltro - 1st January 2005 at 17:30
ZX-J
Neville Duke ditched Spitfire VIII JG241/ZX-J in lake Bracciano on 7 June 1944. The story appears in his published memoirs. The aircraft is presumably still there, right in front of the Italian Air Force Museum.
Veltro
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January 1, 2005 at 5:21 pm