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The Spitfire

Absolutely Rupert. Occasionally a Lanc will fly over our house on its way to Biggin Hill and even my son who was born 50+ years after the war can identify it as a Lanc. So very distinctive. My dad ditched in the North Sea in one somewhere off the coast of Scotland. And there still lies that Lanc, I sometimes wonder if it was due to the fact that it was a Lanc, that he and the crew all survived the ditching. Who knows. Viv.
 
The P40 Kittyhawk. Not widely used in Europe but did stirling duty against the Zero's in China during the early years of war with Japan. Better known as being the aeroplane of the Flying Tigers...with a sharks mouth and teeth on the engine cowling.
 

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The Corsair. There were reasons for it's shape and it had enough horsepower to make it very fast. Carrier based.
 

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There were 3 at least of these T28 aeroplanes flying. They were after WW2 and were pre-jet trainers. I think they were very beautiful and admired them very much. Can be privately owned and I think this one was...ohh to be a flier...and have a spare 400Gs. Beautifully prepared. Tandem 2 seat and trike undercarriage.
 

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Flypast. From bottom...Spitfire, Corsair, Lanc., P51, Kittyhawk.
 

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Great pictures, Rupert and beautifully taken ! One of my favourites is the one of the Hurricane, a Lysander can be seen in the background.
 
Absolutely Rupert. Occasionally a Lanc will fly over our house on its way to Biggin Hill and even my son who was born 50+ years after the war can identify it as a Lanc. So very distinctive. My dad ditched in the North Sea in one somewhere off the coast of Scotland. And there still lies that Lanc, I sometimes wonder if it was due to the fact that it was a Lanc, that he and the crew all survived the ditching. Who knows. Viv.
You've reminded me of when I lived in Woolwich, in the late 70s, Viv. Planes waiting their turn to fly over the Biggin Hill air show used to orbit over where we lived and my then 6 year-old son used to jump up and down with excitement. He loved the Lancaster so much we were considering seeing if Jimmy Saville could get him a flight in one. (Phew !).
 
The P51. Probably better known as the Mustang. Not a game changer perhaps but when the game did change it could fly all of the way to Germany and back; with it's drop tanks and large fuel tank below the pilot. Protecting the bombers. Laminar flow wings and modern air frame structure...oh and a Merlin engine, made it a winner.
 

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The cockpit of a Blenheim/Bolingbroke and navigators quarters...must have needed small recruits. State of the art, I am told, at the start of the war. Those sentiments did not last long.
 

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I have more of a Huricane being reconstructed for flight and Motion with sound but the latter will not post for some reason...maybe too large. Anyway time for my flight home...hand crank undercarriage with curved rear elevator. Five hour flight.
 

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Would anyone have a picture of the Smethwick Spitfire they could share with me please? I am writing an article for our local heritage centre and would like to include a photo of the Smethwick Spitfire if possible. There was one on page 7 of this thread but is not available now.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
 
Does anyone know what happened at Vickers Castle Bromwich on August 13th 1940? My uncle was given a certificate for "gallant conduct and distinguished services" for what ever occurred. Presumably an air raid but any info would be appreciated.
 
Welcome Jill.

According to Wikipedia
"There had been a fatal bombing at the factory on 13 August 1940, in which six workers were killed."

And there's a diary of a local boy, Brian Williams, here in which the raid is mentioned
https://brianwilliams.org.uk/diary/1940.html

The factory was a key enemy target. Raids were frequent in the vicinity. Shall see if I can find further details. Viv.
 
As Viv stated ...
The Spitfire Factory at Castle Bromwich was bombed on the night of 13th August 1940 and six people were killed.
Their names are listed on the https://database.birminghamairraids.co.uk/
You may have to type Castle Bromwich in the 'By location of death' field depending on how it appears on your device.
 
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What speedy service! Yes please, any information would be helpful. My Uncle worked there and the story goes when he got bombed out of a job he enlisted! After he had finished in Africa he went to Australia to live, so never got to know him. His children are asking me what the certificate is for.
Jill
 
As Viv stated ...
The Spitfire Factory at Castle Bromwich was bombed on the night of 13th August 1940 and six people were killed.
Their names are listed on the https://secure.swanshurst.org/barra/results.asp
You may have to type Castle Bromwich in the 'By location of death' field depending on how it appears on your device.
Have had a look on the website. Sounds like a night (of many) never to forget! Thanks for the info.
 
An account from Megan Rees (age 19 at the time) who worked on Spitfires at the Castle Bromwich Aircraft Factory is worth a read on https://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ww2peopleswar/stories/82/a4093382.shtml
The quotation below from her account mentions the aftermath of a serious bombing raid on D block.
I remember going to work to start the 6am shift one morning and D Block had been bombed the night before. The clothes, shoes and gas masks of the workers from D Block were piled in heaps between A and C Blocks. They were wet from the water used by the fire brigade to fight the fires. You could see bodies still in the girders of the roof of the factory. It is a sight that you never forget. It was after the bombing of D Block that they altered the working hours to three shifts, 6am to 2pm, 2pm to 10pm and 10pm to 6am.
There were air raids during the day too. The German planes would machine gun the workers running to the shelters. Another time when there was bombing during the day, my mother sent my brother Jack (he was not working because he was ill with TB) to the factory to see if I was okay. While making his way to the factory he had to shelter under a bridge because the German planes were machine-gunning the roads.
 
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