Spitfire "Do Not Drop" tanks

Quite a well known pictures isnt it?

Im sure its been featured in more that one Spitfire book over the years.

Not to me, PP. But am learning that, now…I have only one or two Spitfire books.. I did not see it included in the hundreds of Spitfire photos in “Spitfire” by Alfred Price. (do have mostly pre-WWII aviation library that required loading 800 crates to move five years ago, and have added to, since.)I just thought others might enjoy it, as I did. I am primarily interested in pre-WWII aircraft. While sorting through some 1800 Spitfire negatives from the Chris Ashworth collection, ( a Pre-Internet collection) I pulled out a few that were especially interesting to me, to scan…and share. (Recently spent 3 hours scanning negatives of Hastings TG 503 for Berlin Airlift Museum, that were requested on the forum. and more for Other Hastings requests that come in private messages and emails from the forum)
I also spend a LOT of hours looking through my photo/negative files (over 150,000) trying to help (at no charge) many people on the forum who request photos of specific aircraft, which I am happy to do, as others have helped me, in the past. Have sent a lot of high res photo images to researchers and buffs on the forum and learned from most of them, in return.
So, if I post/share some well-known images from the mostly-British, Ashworth Collection (and other collections of albums) please know that I am only sharing my enjoyment of them, hoping some others might find some of interest, on occassion. Been working with aviation museums fo some 40+ years now and still enjoy learning as much as I can about aviation history.I very much enjoyed your story Galdri. Thanks for posting it.

Same one is in Johnnie Johnsons book: ‘Wing Leader’.

Best Wishes.
Robert.

Quite a well known pictures isnt it?

Im sure its been featured in more that one Spitfire book over the years.

Of course this image has not been altered or photoshopped!! It was apparently quite common, but maybe not in this form!!

An icelandic pilot with 65 squadron, flying Mustang Mk. III during 1944, told me the story many years ago. For many squadrons, it was an on demand shuttle service after the D-Day landings. In his Squadron, it was rotated between pilots. They would take off with empty, specially cleaned droptanks, and fly to the south of England (airfield name escapes me at the moment), and have them filled up with beer. Then they would fly back and deliver the goodies. He told me, this was one of the sorties he hated most, as when he was coming in to land, the whole squadron would be watching, and if one of the tanks came off in a rough landing, he would be the least popular pilot on the airfield for a week at least!

The old gentleman in question was “Tony” Jonsson, and the above story was told to me at a very fancy coctail party for icelandic commercial pilots in 1996. What struck me was the fact, that the man ignored all the big brass, heavy duty Captains there that night but decided to stay with us, the lowes of the low, mare flight instructors and share his stories of wartime flying and his commercial carrier afterwards. He has my eternal gratitude for making the gesture. Þorsteinn “Tony” Jonsson, may you rest in peace. It was a pleasure getting to know you!

‘Spitfire’ beer?!!

Same one is in Johnnie Johnsons book: ‘Wing Leader’.

Best Wishes.
Robert.