Ultimate Spitfires by Peter Caygill

Author:Peter Caygill [Caygill, Peter]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781781594360
Publisher: Casemate Publishers
Published: 2007-03-28T07:00:00+00:00

The first Spitfire XII was delivered to 41 Squadron at the end of February 1943 and full establishment had been reached by the end of March. During the month the squadron got to know their new aircraft with formation practice, cross countries, cannon tests, practice interceptions, long range tank tests and air-to-sea firing. Aircraft also departed in pairs for air-to-air firing practice at Valley. In general the pilots rated the Spitfire XII highly, although concern was expressed at the Griffon’s tendency to cut under conditions of positive or negative ‘g’ at low revs. Discussions took place with Rolls-Royce with the result that ‘anti-g’ carburettors were fitted which had the effect of curing the problem when the aircraft was pulling positive ‘g’, but not when it was subject to negative ‘g’. As the engine behaved perfectly under all cruise and combat conditions, however, it was considered to be operationally acceptable.

On 13 April the squadron moved to Hawkinge to take over the duties of 91 Squadron which had been engaged on so-called ‘Jim Crows’ consisting of coastal patrols and shipping reconnaissance missions along the Channel coast. The first sortie was flown by Flt Lt T.R. Poynton on the 15th when he accompanied Sqn Ldr R.H. Harries, the C.O of 91 Squadron, on a patrol from Cap Gris Nez to Dieppe. No.41 Squadron took over the role officially on 16 April and achieved an early success the following day during an evening recce by Flg Off R. Hogarth in EN235 as recorded in his combat report

‘I took off from Hawkinge at 2020 hrs on a Jim Crow recco from Calais to Ostend but there were no ships in sight. Slight flak came from points on the west side of Dunkirk. I saw a small ship in Ostend as I passed so went into a steep turn to port to look at it again more closely. I was then about two miles north of Ostend flying at 320 mph IAS at 200 ft. Halfway round my turn I saw a Ju 88 painted black crossing my path from port to starboard. In a second I found myself right on his tail so I pressed the button for a 10 second burst closing rapidly from about 500 to 100 yards. I was missing behind but hit the tail which crumpled up. I broke off to starboard and made a quarter attack closing to astern firing about 2–3 seconds of machine-gun, this being all I had left. Allowing a quarter ring deflection on this attack I set fire to his port engine and he then glided down into the sea burning well on the port side. I was hit by fire from one of the rear machine-guns and had about 3–4 bullets through the wing. I returned to base and landed at 2100 hrs.’

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