Hi anyone know if its possible without the effort of going to the pro or wherever to trace a Spitfire from its PB (854) number (i dont fully understand what the PB number was) as i have a bag of relics from one that crashed in 1942 near Cherriton Hants and would like to know more about the aircraft and the crash. Or has anyone got any othe solutions how i can find out about the crash. Cheers
Alister, you gave me a headache with this one ! The aircraft serial number is reversed, it should read BP854 It was a MkV built by Supermarine Aviation (Vickers) at Chattis Hill under contract no. B19713/39. First flown on 14/2/42, it went to No 8 Maintenance Unit on the 17th. It was then converted to a Mk VC (Trop), this work being completed 11/5/42. It then went to No 1 Ferry Pilots Pool, and on 5th August 1942 the pilot became lost in cloud, struck some trees, and abandoned the aircraft which came down at Cherrington, near Winchester. The Spitfire was 'dbf' ( destroyed by fire )declared Category 'E' damaged ( ie beyond repair ) and Struck Off Charge as of 5th August. So there you have it.. or at least a bag of bits ! I'm sorry that the 'plane doesn't have a 'heroic' history but the Tropical bit is interesting as it may have been an 'experimental' modification. All this info ( and tons more ! ) is available in the gigantic book 'Spitfire : The History' by Morgan & Shacklady ( Key Publications ) which is most definitely NOT 'light reading' but does list every single Spitfire ever built. [ 22. November 2002, 02:51 PM: Message edited by: Martin Bull ]
Wow... nice shot, there, Martin. Stories and info like this are the main reason I enjoy studying WW2! Nice little details!
Many thanks Martin sorry for any confusion. i may have to ask your adivce again soon as i have various other relics that i would like more info on when i can remember where i put them i will post some more requests i expect. Once again cheers !
Glad to be of help but I can't guarantee to come up trumps every time ! ( PS Do tell us about your relics - I love collecting 'bits & pieces' like that myself ) [ 22. November 2002, 04:17 PM: Message edited by: Martin Bull ]
Martin .Ah excellent another relic's enthusiast all i usually hear is why do you want to collect bent old iron etc. I would be interested to hear about the bits you have mangaged to pick up over the years. My collection is somewhat limited but i will give a best shot at a list of what i have. Engine head chunk with valve from me110 crashed 7th Oct 1940 Temp gauge from Ju88 first A1 kill for John Cunningham Makers plate from Ju88 intruder 22nd 6th 1941 Various bits from fw190A-1(36th produced) 13/7/42 various canopy frame bits from 109G-5 24/6/44 Oxygen bottle from 109G-6 of JG54 14/1/44 2 engine valves from P47 from Thames estuary various bits from me110 3rd sept 1940 3ft section 20mm cannon from typhoon pagham harbour area. 5'x4' wing section of Il2 and undercarridge cover with 20mm strike from Kursk area. early post war meteor rotor vane. various bits Do217 3/8/42 Undercarridge retraction section from hurricane 30/9/41 52 OTU exhaust stub me110 6/9/40 various bits lancaster of 7sqdn 5/5/44 fragments hurricane 22/12/1940 605sqdn fragments Spitfire 303sqdn 16/4/41 typhoon 31/10/42 609sdn various bits. lots of unidentifed skining etc from the channel and some other relics i cant find at the mo my token military relics section 1 used panzerfaust 60 or 100 not sure from Berlin and a very rough 30 from the same area. Coupple of 98k bayonets and some other misc bits. Blimey maybe i do have more than i thought sorry for the long post anyway as said before would like to hear more about your stuff or if you want any more info on any of the bits above or have anything to add I would like to hear it.
Nice collection - especially the 20mm cannon piece ! I try ( I really do ! ) to keep to 'representative' bits due to space limitations, so I have : - A large piece of Merlin engine from 'Ginger' Lacey's Hurricane P2793, 13/8/40 A piece of skinning ( complete with bullethole ) from Spitfire R6753 of 603 Sqn, 29/8/40 Wing root skin (with paint) from Bf109E 5095 28/10/40 Complete Merlin piston from Hurricane L1965 P/O C D Francis, 253 Sqn 30/8/40 ( This is my 'personal Battle of Britain memorial' piece - Colin Francis was only 19 years old and this was his first and last action ). Complete piston from Ju88 2206 9/12/40 ( crashed in Epping Forest near my home-town ) Complete Bf109 exhaust stub ( unidentified ) Complete fuel pump from the first Halifax to be lost on ops, 10/3/41 Fuel cock from P47 Thunderbolt 42-75546 (56 FG, 61 FS ) marked 'Williams, Cin'ti, Ohio ) 22/4/44 Shattered piston and engine valve from P47 44-21184 ( 56FG,61FS ) 12/4/45 Small skinning fragments from Lancaster KB750, Wiesbaden 3/2/45 Generator, exhaust stub and complete copper co2 bottle from Lancaster PB669, Pathfinder OTU, 11/3/45 Good fun doing a list like this, isn't it ? These 'bits' have to vie for space with deact guns, shells, models, books etc etc ! Oh, nearly forgot, not an aircraft piece but there's also a complete cast-iron drem-light cover that I found in a ditch alongside the perimeter track at Metheringham ( 106 Sqn Lancasters ) earlier this year. Next year I'm looking out for a really nice Lancaster piece......
Wow Martin ! Very nice collection especially the bit from 'Ginger' Laceys hurricane. I know what you mean about keeping a collection representative i tried thing was it was not the space for me but the money etc, would love to have more BoB bits and a merlin piston they seem to be getting pretty rare these days, however I couldnt resist the value of 3ft of cannon of 4 foot of Il2 wing etc. Yeah it is nice to put a list together makes you think more about the bits one has . I see you are also a deacts and shells man good to know there are more of us out there what deacts and shells have you got as i have my own modest collection . Saw a very nice 88mm King tiger shell in transit box the other week at Great Malvern but the 250 + price tag and the fact i really needed some other bits put the damper on that oh well maybe next time !
Yes, I was 'lucky' with the Ginger Lacey bit. It wasn't even 'dug up'; Lacey's Hurricane came down with a full fuel load and exploded in a private wood & bits were found many years later in undergrowth. I really don't have room for loads of shells ! So I keep generally to aircraft ammunition, and several years back was able to buy a nice example of my 'ultimate shell', an 88 Pz39 APCBC KwK 36 anti-tank with steel case as used in the Tiger I. It's been 'featured' on these Forums once or twice before so others are probably sick of hearing about it ! It stands in my living room and guests either ignore it, recognize that it's a shell of some kind ( and look worried ), or ask if it's an art-deco lamp (!)... Last year, an elderly gentleman who fought with the Italian anti-German partisans visited us, took one look in the living room and immediately said 'Ah - that is an 88 !'
