I can remember as a 12 or 13 year old in the early 70s, standing on a Baseball field in Minnesota and hearing a sound I hadn’t heard before. Looking up there was a flight of 3 B17 firebombers passing over fairly low headed north to fight the forest fires.

As the ceiling of my room at that point was covered with model B17s, with Spits and 109s dancing around them, it was something to see the real deal pass overhead

I grew up near Crystal airport where the late Jack Sandberg had his hangers so the sound of his P63 Kingcobra Tipsy Miss, whistling overhead was a common occurance as was the arrival and departure of various 51s that came to have engine work done.

I remember biking over one time to see a P51D, and the EAA’s XP51 parked outside the hanger, while next to it in pieces sat the P51C that now flies with the Southern Minnesota Wing of the CAF. I wonder how many times that’s happend where 3 different versions of the 51 were in the same spot? in particular in the late 1970s

Later the D and XP51 were both airborne. The sound was fantastic.

Dan

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Mark V
[B]Thats right warbirduk. You can find evidence of just about every permutation of application of invasion stripes. In some cases they are quite neatly done with teh codes and serials unobscurred. In others they look like they were “put on with a 12 inch soft broom” to quote Mark 12.

Spit XII from the same time frame/Wing MB854 EB-Z. Seems like that was their particular late summer version as this was an August 44 photo.

Dan

I think I’ll fly in at the controls of Spitfire Mk 1a P9306. It was the first Spit I ever saw for real back in about 1968 at the impresionable age of 8. It lead to a load of Spitfire models built and a lifelong passion.

While it’s not a clipped wing Spit XII, my favorite Spit, I don’t know that I could get away with bringing EN224 as I don’t know that there was really enough left to bring in 55.

I’d bring a clipped wing XVIe like Mark12 as they come in a close second to the XII, but in keeping with the spirit of the B of B, P9306 makes a good choice.

Of course she’d be nicely restored to her B of B markings of 74 Squadron

Dan

08/07/44 Spitfire lX ML366 Flt/Lt R Collis of 126Sqn

Ron Collis is still around I believe. I corresponded with him briefly in the late 80s about his time flying the Spit XII with 41 Squadron prior to his going to 126. He has done some writing of his own as well as artwork. He has a website at:

http://www.fishon.com/rcollis.html

It’s not been updated in some time and he didn’t respond to a recent e-mail.

My understanding is he was hit by flak over the Channel and bailed out.

Not much, but I hope that helps 🙂

Dan

The photos reminded me of this one of a Spit 22 from “The Spitfire Log” by Peter Haining

The spinner is more dinged up, but if the caption is correct, this was sold in 1955 to someone. The paint scheme has that same non-descript look. Can’t really tell about the tire tread. And of course I don’t know which Spitfire 22 this is/was.

Dan