Please could anybody out there help me locate Spitfires which served with 308 (polish)(City of Krakow) squadron between 1940-45. I only know of one survivor ML407. Also did 308 have any hack A/C?
Thanks in advance,
NS
By: Burton - 27th June 2006 at 22:36
Sorry to drag this up again.
but I am wondering if there is any more information about the planes in the 308.
Many thanks
By: N.Wotherspoon - 12th October 2005 at 08:59
Whoops – sorry!
You are quite right about the date – it was the 13.02.1942 – serves me right for relying on my obviously failing memory & not checking my notes.
Paley was involved in a mock dog fight with Sgt Majchrzyk when he apparently blacked out – regaining conciousness, it seems he discovered he had parted company with BL585 and was in urgent need of his parachute! He made a successful decent, landing in the yard of a nearby collliery where he was almost set upon by miners coming off shift who mistook his accent for german!
By: VoyTech - 10th October 2005 at 13:20
BL585, crashed. 21/02/1942 Pilot F/Lt Boleslaw Paley (Palej) bailed out.
Are you sure about the date? It’s 13/2/42 in my files. A bizarre incident – ‘the pilot fell out of the cockpit’.
By: N.Wotherspoon - 10th October 2005 at 10:37
Not quite a survivor!
We have just excavated the crash site of a 308 sqn Spitfire Vb – entry door to the cockpit is the largest piece of airframe, but still has the top bar of the “Z” on it – but no makers plate, so no rebuild 😮
Note: BL585, crashed. 21/02/1942 Pilot F/Lt Boleslaw Paley (Palej) bailed out.
By: Snapper - 30th September 2005 at 15:08
“parts of R6644 were recovered some years ago, but that’s not a survivor, is it?”
Depends, did they get the data plate? If so it’ll be 98% genuine when it flies.
By: VoyTech - 30th September 2005 at 13:20
NH188 (now in Canada) was flown in 308 Sqn in June 1944, including on D-Day by the Sqn OC.
Also, I believe parts of R6644 were recovered some years ago, but that’s not a survivor, is it?
I believe the Sqn had a Maggie as a hack during 1940-43. I dont think they had any hacks while in 2nd TAF, but 131 (Polish) Wing had Auster(s).
Why are you interested in 308 Sqn?
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September 30, 2005 at 1:06 pm