Spitfire BR601

Well, the stamp to the reverse says: RAF Biggin Hill Photographic Section. I suppose it could have been another station in the BH sector?

And thank you, Spitfireman!

Is that definitely Biggin Hill in that photo?

This is Andy’s photo of BR601.[ATTACH=CONFIG]220005[/ATTACH]

That makes more sense…although…

Definitely written as BR601.

And Norman Franks says BR601.

Possible scenario; another individual has seen this image and the date etc, put two and two together and made five having read Norman’s book where BR601 is stated, perhaps incorrectly by Norman as a result of a typo?

Puzzling.

Could it be ‘typo’ of BR621? As that was with 611 and has a Cat C Damage report on the 2 of November?

Hi Andy,

There is no mention of 611 Sqn on BR601’s movement card.

Possible reasoning for this,
– Relative short supply of Mk.IX aircraft at the time
– 64 Sqn reliquishing their Mk.IXs to revert back to Mk.Vs also around this time
– 611 Sqn moving to Biggin Hill September 1942, where they may have picked up one or more of the Mk.IXs that 64 Sqn gave up

Interesting.

Would still love to see the image if you are able to share it.

Certainly all very curious!

So how did BR601 get to be reported (photographed?) as damaged with 611 Squadron on 2/11/42 at Biggin Hill and photographed there on 4 November 1942?

Certainly, many of the other photos in the collection all relate to 611, too. Has something been transposed serial-wise?

and finally coded SZ-H at Northolt in September 1943 with 316 Sqn.

Mr Matusiak’s book Polish Wings 13 Supermarine Spitfire IX 1942-1943.

Photograph No 90 page 42 a volleyball game with BR601 SZ*H in the background.

John

Yes, I realise now that it is in NZ having been chatting to the owner this evening.

Something very odd here.

My photo is stamped to the reverse RAF Station Biggin Hill and dated 4 November 1942 and the annotation ‘BR601’.

It is possible the annotation is post-war, but I don’t think so. Curiously, Norman Franks has BR601 damaged with 611 Squadron on 2/11/1942 in his Fighter Command Losses.

Has somebody added 2 + 2 and reached 5? Or is something more seriously awry, here?

I have a photograph taken at Biggin Hill after damage to wing on 2 November 1942 of Spitfire BR601.

A survivor currently in the US, I believe?

My file size is too large to post. I am sure it can be re-sized, but as I am in serious technophobe mode it will have to wait – unless some kind soul will do the fiddle-ar**ng around if I forward it to them.

Would it be the only in-service image of BR601? As it happens, it is just a detail of the wing damage though.

Hi Andy,

After consulting my copy of Volume 1 of the boo… (Spitfire Survivors Then and Now – Volume I – Mks I to XII) I find that on pages 276 and 277 there are three pictures of the aforementioned BR601 in service. One on its delivery to Hornchurch on 9 July 1942, another with 453 Sqn at Rochford in March 1943 coded FU-S and finally coded SZ-H at Northolt in September 1943 with 316 Sqn.

Also it appears that the damage was suffered on 21 October 1942 at Bolt Head, Devon when she had a burst tyre on landing making her swing, the undercarriage collapsed which resulted in the wing damage. BR601 was dispatched to GAL at Hamlbe for repair on 2 November 1942, which I assume is where your shot was captured.

If you are still having trouble finding someone to resize the image then please send it to me and I would be happy to sort it for you.

Oh, and BR601 is in New Zealand these days not the US.

Hi Andy
The easiest way is to install dropbox on your computer you can store up to 3GB in the folder, the folder is on your computer and looks like any other folder when viewed. Just put the images you want into the folder and it uploads it to a mirror folder on the web. All you need to do is give permission to the person you wish to give access to by sending them an email, a folder will then appear on their computer which they can then access the file. I used this system when we were doing the graphic panels for the memorial room for R5679 in Gronhoj in May this year

My file size is too large to post. I am sure it can be re-sized, but as I am in serious technophobe mode it will have to wait – unless some kind soul will do the fiddle-ar**ng around if I forward it to them.

Andy, if you’re using Windows, simply right click on the thumbnail image (do not open), click on resize, click on medium, this will auto resize and open a new image without damaging the original.

Sit back and open another bottle of wine, chill out.

Baz

Download Picasa 3 from here: http://picasa.google.co.uk/

After it has installed look for the export button at the bottom. This will allow you to resize the photograph (400 to 500 pixels should be OK) and save it to a new location.

If if have you cannot workout how to do it I will happily do it for you.