Spitfire history

thanks for the photo mark 12

To add to Mark12’s info on 303 Sqn when W3764 was being flow by Plt Gladych, the link below shows he shot down a Fw190 on 24/10/41 when flying RF-Q

http://www.aviationart.pl/signatures/116.html

Chris

thats a little confusing as one entry we have tracked down states on that day he shot down a BF109 flying this aircraft ??.

Unless he shot down more ??.

Any ORB’s available for these squadrons that might show more action ??.

It would be nice to have detailed history to accompany the aircraft we have depicting this

special machine.

Mike E

Purely as an aside, that would surely have to be one of the last aircraft with a single-letter, four-digit serial number. How late were such serials issues?

W3970 October 1941.

RF-Q

Image: Wojtek Matusiak archive.

Purely as an aside, that would surely have to be one of the last aircraft with a single-letter, four-digit serial number. How late were such serials issues?

To add to Mark12’s info on 303 Sqn when W3764 was being flow by Plt Gladych, the link below shows he shot down a Fw190 on 24/10/41 when flying RF-Q

http://www.aviationart.pl/signatures/116.html

Chris

Just waiting on clearance to show the whole shot.

Mark

Some info on this link regarding 306 Squadron

http://www.polishsquadronsremembered.com/306/306_losses.html

11 Sep.
Supermarine Spitfire V W3724 (UZ-P) Sgt T. Zawistowski KIA Lost in a mid-air collision over Ruiship-Lido with UZ-O during a training flight.

Supermarine Spitfire V W3764 (UZ-O) Sgt S. Slowikowski. Damaged in above mentioned accident. Pilot safe, managed to land the a/c.

A photo of ‘Fun of the Fair’ can be found here

http://midlandshowmensguild.com/Community.html

cheers
Chris

Many thanks guys and in particular Mark 12 for some further details.
Since posting the request we have been fortunate to get a decent amount of information.
This includes the fact that with 303 sqdn coded RF-Q on 24th October
Pilot not sure of ??. Shot down a BF109.

Also that after its crash at Woodvale it was allocated to 11 sott as 3386 M
and survived the war to be scrapped 14th October 1953.

Any further details on its various squadron codes and markings appreciated
as we have been asked to look at representing the aircraft and its color scheme
on our Replica Spitfire for the next year,and of course we wish to be accurate
if we go ahead with the project.

Any photo’s of the aircraft and any further detail greatly appreciated also if
anyone should have access to the article/book on the showmans guild
a copy greatly appreciated.

Mike E

There is a photograph of it with 303 Squadron, Voytech should have a copy and maybe some others.

The history was researched by the Showman’s Guild a few years ago. There was an article in a, now defunct, magazine about it.

W3764 3386M F.Vb VASU 1956 14/08/1941 M.45 37.MU 17/08/1941 PK-K /315 306.Sqn 07/09/1941 ^Coll 11/09/1941 cat.B 11/09/1941 RiW/H # 17/09/1941 repair 20/09/1941 306.Sqn 19/09/1941 303.Sqn 06/10/1941 ^BLd 07/02/1942 cat.R(b) 06/02/1942 ? 315.Sqn 15/03/1942 ^FLd 16/06/1942 fUc 16/06/1942 FA/B 16/06/1942 1.CRU 22/06/1942 RiW 25/06/1942 for TT ª AW/CN 21/09/1942 GI # 21/09/1942 11.SoTT SOC 14/10/1943 rtp # 14/10/1943 “FUN of..FAIR”; P:SLOWIKOWSKI; FLd:Sgt JANKOWSKI; BLd:F/O MARCINIAK “W3764 “”FUN of the FAIR””306.Sqn, Collision cat.B 11.9.41, Sgt SLOWIKOWSKI ok;
303.Sqn, flown by Plt Gladych (date?); BLd 7.2.42 (F/O Janusz MARCINIAK ok);315.Sqn, flown by Plt Cwynar 2.5.42; CLd, undershot 16.6.42, Sgt ìTadeusz JANKOWSKI injured
** AccC W3764< Vb 303 Sqn Northolt 1545 hrs. Cat R(b). Undershot landing u/c struck camouflaged a/c cover, selected u/c up, landed 6.2.42, F/O J. Marciniak P0317 (Polish).
** AccC W3764< Vb 315 Sqn Woodvale 1045 hrs. Cat B. Formation practice. Engine failed due to mishandling. Undershot hit fence u/c collapsed 16.6.42, Sgt T.Jankowski P780386 (Polish) injured.

“

Spitfire is W3764

Many thanks

Type in Spitfire LA257 and it will take you to http://www.spitfires.ukf.net/p054.htm

This will reveal the full history and its demise by Eyre Smelting on 14/06/54

Thanks for the info. It will arrive in the museum on saturday afternoon. looks like some cosmetic/paint work has to be done. Best wishes, Roger

RE: Spitfire history

Roger, some more sites which may be of assistance:

Spitfire replica ‘MJ881, 3W-B’ at Soesterberg, 322 Sqn markings (book shows original MJ881 was Cat AC 26/3/45, then recategorised E (and presumably written off) 23/5/45.
http://www.xs4all.nl/~rooza/Dutch/museum_spitfire.htm
http://www.zap16.com/images/robold_Spitfire_MJ881.jpg

Spitfire replica ‘MJ964 3W-V’ at Leeuwarden, 322 Sqn markings (book shows original MJ964 SOC 30/1/47.
http://www.dutchspotters.com/preserved.htm (no pictures located)

Haven’t been able to locate anything else I’m afraid.

RE: Spitfire history

Roger, I’d be delighted to assist by quoting the serial blocks for Mk IX’s out of Spitfire the history, but it might be worth your while asking Peter Arnold over on WIX. If anyone know’s about Spitfires, its him. 🙂

However, I’ve just done a bit of google searching and found this:

http://home.tiscali.be/ed.ragas/awshistory/daw/322/322aircraft.html

Scroll down it and there’s a full list of 322 (Dutch) Sqn RAF’s Spitfire Mk IX serials. Hope this helps.

RE: Spitfire history

[updated:LAST EDITED ON 24-02-03 AT 08:18 AM (GMT)]It is indeed a metal recreation, many original parts were used, and all te missing parts were recreated, made in Holland. It was obtained this week by the Crash Airwar Museum in Lisserbroek ( http://www.crash40-45.nl ) As its serial isn’t correct, which are the good ones for a Mk.IX, so it can be chanched for more correct one? Another question, what other incorrect details can be seen, so it can be dealt with? BW Roger
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RE: Spitfire history

Having looked at it yet again,I’m CERTAIN it’s a replica.The sockets in the tailplane root look decidedly dodgy,and something about the cokcpit and the wing root fairing looks wrong too.It’s a replica,albeit a bluddy good one!

RE: Spitfire history

I’d agree she’s not a Spit 5,although having looked at the pic a couple of times I’m starting to wonder whether she’s the real deal at all or a very good replica of some sort.I’d say it was a Mk.IX(9)if anything,but it appears to have an iffy retractable tailwheel and the non existant serial swings it for me-I’d place a bet on it being a replica.Where was the piccy taken??