Supermarine Spitfire anomalies

[Andy Marden]

As can be seen at: http://www.rafcommands.com/database/...php?uniq=P8318
308 Sqn Spitfire IIb P8318 has two losses associated with it in TNA.
Which is correct, and what was the serial of the other loss please?

[davew]

Andy

The 22 July incident was with W. Bozek in Spitfire P8313. (ABS, FCL and The History)

DaveW

[Andy Marden]

Spitfire Vb EN916 is shown as 303/SF Northolt/308 in the Air-Britain serials book (it was shot down on 22 Sep 43). The Spitfire production list at:
http://www.airhistory.org.uk/spitfire/_prodn%20list.txt
has a similar story.
However, on page 50 of "Polish Spitfire Aces" (Osprey) there is a photo of it wearing code JH-J of 317 Sqn, said to have been taken in Jun 42, ie shortly after the aircraft's delivery.
Is the reference to it serving with 303 Sqn incorrect?

[davew]

Some more pictures here. http://www.polishsquadronsremembered..._graffiti.html

DaveW

[Andy Marden]

Dave,
Thanks, that's interesting. The article states that it was previously RF-J of 303 Sqn. If so, it must have been for a very short period, because according to the Spitfire histories it was not delivered new until 23 Jun 42. If the caption is correct and Wg Cdr Janus' visit to Woodvale was indeed at the end of June, it went from delivery, to RF-J, to JH-J within the space of 7 days.
Andy

[Franek Grabowski]

This was a personal aircraft of W/C Janus, JH-J code was his personal markings.

[Andy Marden]

Franek,
Thanks for the reply.
"Polish Spitfire Aces" says: "Wg Cdr Stefan Janus flew EN916/JH-J from June 1942 onwards. Like all of his personal Spitfires, it wore the standard codes of the squadron that serviced it – No 317 Sqn in this case, with the individual aircraft letter J."
So it seems that only the individual code J was personal to Janus.
If this is correct, EN916 would indeed have been RF-J if it was a 303 Sqn aircraft. But JH-J indicates it was a 317 Sqn aircraft, which is not reflected in the aircraft's records.
Andy

[Franek Grabowski]

Andy
That is correct, the aircraft was attached to 303 for servicing purposes and coded RF-J, then to 317 since mid June as JH-J, and them since early September to 306 as UZ-J. I guess nobody bothered to alter aircraft's movement card, that is all.
Franek

[Andy Marden]

Next up is EN355, for which we seem to have two different losses:
http://www.rafcommands.com/database/...php?uniq=EN355
There is a well known photo of this aircraft. eg:
http://www.aviationart.pl/links/53.html
Looking at the discussion in the related threads, this does not particularly look like an aircraft that "dived into the ground", killing the pilot, so my guess is that this was the loss on 18 Apr 43.
Either way, we would seem to need an extra serial!

[Franek Grabowski]

Well, EN355 appears in 145 Squadron records. The other Spitfire could be EN353.