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DAY |
SPITFIRE & SEAFIRE CALENDAR
FACTS
PRE-WAR --
WAR YEARS 1939-1945 -- POST-WAR |
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1 |
1941: Protocol signed to supply Russia with warsupplies
wwww(Beside Hurricanes, 1333 Spitfires were delivered) |
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2 |
1942: First flight 'clipped' wing Spitfire Mk VB (AA937) better roll rate & speed |
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3 |
1943: Ramrod 258; one Spitfire lost from 41 Sqn. (MIA Sgt. Plt. James A. B. Gray)
2005: Release date CD-album 'Ghost of a Spitfire' by Peter Bruntnell |
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4 |
1944: Second prototype Spitfire IV/XX (DP851) flies as prototype Mk 21
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5 |
1944: First score on Me 262 near Nijmegen (Spit. Mk XIV, 411 RCAF Sqn.) |
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6 |
1944: Unarmed 541 Sqn. PR.XIX, RM637 forces a FW 190 to crash |
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7 |
1940: Five Spitfire Mk I's lost, all during combat with German planes |
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8 |
1940: 228 Spit. & 423 Hurri. serviceable to counterattack 4 main att. on England |
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9 |
1945: Ministry of Aircraft Prod. reduces order for F.22 to 687 (only 263 built)
1953: Dutch Spitfire Mk IX, MH434 accepted by Belgium after testing at Fokker |
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10 |
1942: First 2 Spitfires (PR IV's, BP911 & BP935) arrive in Far East (2 PRU) |
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11 |
1942: Wg Cdr Peter Prosser Hanks, OC Luqa Wing, Malta down's Me 109 + 1 damag.
wwwwwith Spitfire Mk V, BR498 (total score: 13 + 1 shared) |
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12 |
1985: First flight post-restauration of F Mk XVIIIE, SM969/G-BRAF |
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13 |
1942: First flight of first production Spitfire F.XII (EN221) |
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14 |
1943: USAAF Spitfires of 31st F.G. land at Pomigliano near Napels |
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15 |
1940: Gr Capt. Don Kingaby shot down by Spitfire (succesful bail out) |
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16 |
1939: First enemy 'kill' of RAF Fighter Command
wwww (Flt Lt Pat Gifford in a Spitfire of 603 Sqn scores a Ju 88) |
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17 |
1941: 58 OTU had 15th misshap with Spitfire (X4904)
wwww total misshaps 58 OTU till; 29-5-'45; 65 Spitfires (most written-off) |
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18 |
1940: Dutch prins Bernhard hands a cheque of £333,400.- to Lord Beaverbrook
wwwwfor 40 Spitfires (see 12-09) |
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19 |
1940: Formation of No.71 Squadron (with American volunteers)
1942: First ops. of No.2 PRU in Far East (Burma) with Spit. PR.IV BP911 & BP935 |
|
20 |
1941: Prototype Spitfire Mk IX (N3297),
sent to Boscombe Down for evaluation |
|
21 |
1939: 'Ace' Desmond Sheen
(72 Sqn, in Spit. K9959) opens score on an He 115 |
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22 |
1942: Flighttest Mk IX, BF274 with & without 30 gallon overload tank |
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23 |
1937: Spitfire prototype K5054 under RAF charges. |
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24 |
1940: Order for 1000 Mk III's + 120 Mk IIIC's at Castle Bromwich (not one produced) |
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25 |
1942: Non-stop flight of Spitfire from Gibraltar to Malta.
wwww Used a belly tank with 733 liters of fuel and 132 liters in rear fuselage |
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26 |
1940: First flight of the Mustang, the USA competitor to the Spitfire |
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27 |
1982: First flight post-restauration of Mk VIIIC, MT719/I-SPIT (in hands of Paul Day) |
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28 |
1938: No 66 Squadron first Spitfire Mk I (K9802) delivery at Duxford |
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29 |
1940: Spitfire PR.X mission to Stettin (5 hours, 20 min.) Fg Off Miller |
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30 |
1943: 3 Spitfire V floatplane conversions arrive in Alexandria (W3760, EP751 & EP754) |
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31 |
1938: No.66 Sqn (Duxford) receives 1st Spitfire I (K9802), (2nd sqn. aft. 19 Sqn. to gain Spitfires)
1940: End of Battle of Britain, Luftwaffe switch to nightraids
1943: RAAF No.79 Spitfire Squadron first 'kill', a Kawasaki Ki-61 'Tony' fighter
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