To which nation did the first Spitfire over Berlin belong?

I sourced Eyes of the Eighth which tells us that 6th March 1944 was the first time that a USAAF Spitfire completed a recon sortie over Berlin. The mission was originally scheduled for 4th March but delayed by poor weather. Capt. Walter Weitner flew Spitfire PA892 and some of his post-strike photos are published in this book.

Many Americans served in RAF and RCAF squadrons, so it is possible that Weitner was not the first Yankee to fly a Spitfire over Berlin.

Can you imagine the tension of flying alone deep within enemy territory (to their actual lair)? Granted the danger might not compare with the bombers, but at least they had the feeling of the relative safety in numbers.

Not sure who was first, but here is a picture from 1944.

Original caption: Berlin-Tempelhof Airfield 26th June 1944. Taken from 29,000 feet by a Spitfire PR XI of 14 Squadron, 7th Photographic Reconnaissance Group
flown by Lt Gerald M Adams USAAF.

I sourced Eyes of the Eighth which tells us that 6th March 1944 was the first time that a USAAF Spitfire completed a recon sortie over Berlin. The mission was originally scheduled for 4th March but delayed by poor weather. Capt. Walter Weitner flew Spitfire PA892 and some of his post-strike photos are published in this book.

Many Americans served in RAF and RCAF squadrons, so it is possible that Weitner was not the first Yankee to fly a Spitfire over Berlin.

Presumably this will draw another traditional Aussie two-fingered salute.

Bear in mind that the opinions of certain Queenslanders aren’t representative of the nation as a whole. (- any more than the opinions of this Victorian are either.)

Ah, of course, how stupid of me! I’d forgotten that all wartime German submarines carried a huge white ‘U’ painted on their conning tower to aid identification…

Sorry about that; I forgot to include a smilie, to show that I was kidding.
To return to the subject of this thread, I’m afraid that the American Spitfire was not the first to fly over Berlin; it might have been the first non-RAF Spitfire, but that’s all. There might (would?) have been others, but I found that, on 19-3-41, S/L Ogilvie, of 3 P.R.U., took a Spitfire to Berlin, and photographed it from 26,500′, taking 65 exposures in all. Two of the photographs can be found in 3 PRU’s ORB, should anyone seek confirmation.
Presumably this will draw another traditional Aussie two-fingered salute.
Edgar (who’s never had to wash out his mouth, and actually enjoys talking about Spitfires.)

I think that the dirty great “U” painted on the conning towers would have given her a clue…

Ah, of course, how stupid of me! I’d forgotten that all wartime German submarines carried a huge white ‘U’ painted on their conning tower to aid identification…

…because it is impossible to see the commander’s blond hair, duelling scar and monocle from anything other than short range! :rolleyes:

Yes, I understand that Germany invaded earlier; my post was really intended to highlight the differing fortunes of neutral countries and balance the indignation at the fact that in August 1940 three civilians had been killed in neutral Ireland…

…I wonder what the body-count was in Holland and Belgium by that time?

neutral Holland and Belgium were occupied by Germany by August 1940 and weren’t liberated until 1944

That’s funny: I’ve always thought the Germans invaded The Netherlands on May 10th, 1940 (and they finished the job by May 15th, not August), and the last ones capitulated on May 5th, 1945 (the south, roughly below the Rhine, having been liberated late 1944). I may be wrong in this, but then again so would be our national holiday on May 5th, the yearly memorial service on May 10th in our home town, and about every Dutch history book…:rolleyes:

Re the first raid/s on Berlin. The following appeared in the UK press on 27th August 1940.

“This thread was prepared in an environment which also contains traces of nuts” – sorry, “…traces of facts”. :rolleyes:

Croydon, a strictly civilian aerodrome, and not to be attacked.

James Holland strikes again. Croydon was handed over to the RAF before the declaration of war, and 3 squadron at least were there from September 2nd 1939.

Secret U-boat base in the Irish Republic? An interesting first-hand account…..but surely she is mistaken.

I think that the dirty great “U” painted on the conning towers would have given her a clue, and, if she’d been mistaken, I suspect that she’d have been told to look again, getting it right, this time, not given a heavy hint to turn a Nelsonian blind eye.
Edgar

I am with Creaking Door has to be captured RAF type, probably late 1939, Battle of France example?

Hi
I would tend to agree, but the first captured spitfires were not until mid 1940.
probably it would have been one of the rechlin examples or maybe a zircus rosarius spitfire.
Cheers
Jerry

The first allied planes over Berlin after the breakout of the war were three or four RAF A.W. Whitley on a leaflet mission on October 1st, 1939.

As portrayed in Private Schulz, from 3:16 on the clip

Whitley leaflet drop

Secret U-boat base in the Irish Republic? An interesting first-hand account…..but surely she is mistaken.

On the same day the Luftwaffe killed three civilians in NEUTRAL Ireland

Shouldn’t that be in inverted commas? A former Wren told me how, when stationed on the Northern Ireland side of a bay, she used to watch U-boats going in to the Eire side. When she reported them, she was told that she hadn’t seen anything.
Edgar

On the same day the Luftwaffe killed three civilians in NEUTRAL Ireland.

It could have been a lot worse; neutral Holland and Belgium were occupied by Germany by August 1940 and weren’t liberated until 1944.

I’m just (loosely) quoting from that super-historian, James Holland.
Edgar

…others had been sent to Kenley, but hit Croydon, a strictly civilian aerodrome, and not to be attacked.

Are you sure; I thought Hurricanes were operating out of Croydon in August 1940?

Besides, wouldn’t an airfield (civilian or not) be a legitimate target, like railway stations or ports?

G’day all

the attached images of a reproduction spitfire will provide the answer, I am told the aircraft name and markings are correct, so those of you who know about such things can tell us the details of the squadron. The other image is of the power plant installation in another Spitfire reproduction, there were 4 Spitfires in the hangar when I was there.

I saw that recently on the company’s homepage. Looks great….

…apart from the cannons… :rolleyes:

The first “attack” on London was during the night 24/25 August, when several German pilots, briefed to attack Rochester, mistook the Thames for the Medway, and dropped their loads on Millwall, Islington and Tottenham. A few days earlier, others had been sent to Kenley, but hit Croydon, a strictly civilian aerodrome, and not to be attacked.
Edgar