|
DAY |
SPITFIRE & SEAFIRE CALENDAR
FACTS
PRE-WAR --
WAR YEARS 1939-1945 -- POST-WAR |
|
1 |
1944: Mock-up inspected of Spiteful by Air Ministry |
|
2 |
1942: First Merlin 61 for Spitfire Mk IX delivered |
|
3 |
1938: Further order for 200 Mk I's (deliverd between Sept.'39 & Jan.'40)
1945: 'Ace' in a day' (29-12-'44 down's 5 e/a) Flt Lt D. Audet is killed by Flak (total; 10) |
|
4 |
1943: 616 Sqn lost 3 Mk V's (BR585, BS453 coll. & BS465) during Spartan Exercise |
|
5 |
1936:
Vickers testpilot Capt. J. 'Mutt' Summers first flight Type 300, K5054
(Spitfire prototype) |
|
6 |
1936: Some claim this date as 1st
flight of K5054 (including testpilot J. Quill)
1939: 'Ace' Alan Deere makes first flight in a Spitfire Mk I |
|
7 |
1942: 31 Spitfire Mk VB's to Malta by carriers HMS Eagle & Argus |
|
8 |
1942: 121 Eagle Sqn. first claim, damaging Me 109 during sweep over France, P/O Dale |
|
9 |
1943: Eric Brown performs 15 deck landings with Spitfire Mk XII on HMS Indomitable |
|
10 |
1937: Gun test in prototype K5054
at alt. 9750 meter shows gunheating necessary
1944: 31st F.G. (USAAF) begin to exchange their Spitfire VIII for P-51B's (see 29-3) |
|
11 |
1991: First post-restauration flight of Mk IXE, PL344/G-IXCC (see picture below) |
|
12 |
2006: Wg/cdr Christopher 'Bunny' Currant dies (total; 13 destroyed)
wwwwCurrant played also a role in the movie (on the Spitfire) 'First of the Few' (1942) |
|
13 |
1968: First day of shooting movie 'Battle of Britain' |
|
14 |
1941: Spitfire PR 'Type F' first Allied plane over Berlin (Sqn.Ldr. Patrick Ogilvie)
1981: First flight post-rebuilt of Mk XIV, NH904/G-FIRE for owner Spencer Flack |
|
15 |
1938: Second mishap first prototype K5054 during night landing, Sgt. Wareham (repaired)
1940: 1st flight Spitfire Mk III prototype, N3297 (later Mk IX prototype) |
|
16 |
1940: First Sea Lord Winston Churchill cancel. folding wing developm. RN Spitfires |
|
17 |
1943: First operation of the 'Polish Fighting Team' (PFT)
aka 'Skalski's Circus'
wwwwFlew with Spitfire Mk V's, a week later re-equip. with Mk IX's |
|
18 |
1944: 6 Spitfires (453 Sqn) rocket attack on Baatasher-Mex, center The Hague (succes) |
|
19 |
1940: First of Spitfire 2 PR.Mk IA's (N3069) of Heston Flight is lost during mission |
|
20 |
1940: Spitfire Merlin II & III gets boost manifold pressure raised (official adopted)
wwww(Emergency use of +12 Lbs/sq extra power for max. 5 min.) |
|
21 |
1940: Second of two Spitfire PR.Mk IA's (N3071) lost on ops. (see 19-3)
1945: First flight production Spitfire 22, PK312 |
|
22 |
1937: Prototype K5054 makes high 'G' turns & looping trials |
|
23 |
1937: First accident with prototype K5054, wheels up landing, Flt. Lt. McKenna
1940: Spitfire Mk VB, BL676 fully converted to Seafire IB, MB328
1948: Three Type 509, Mk T.9 trainers delivered to Royal Dutch A.F. |
|
24 |
1938: Third accident with K5054, nearly write off after heavy landing (10-1938 repaired) |
|
25 |
1936: Supermarine testpilot George Pickering makes his first flight in prototype K5054 |
|
26 |
1936: Flt. Lt. Jeffrey Quill (assistant to Summers) makes his first flight in K5054 |
|
27 |
1942: Second prototype Spitfire Mk IX, ex-Mk V, AB196
1942: Supermarine approached for folding wing development on Seafire by D.T.D. |
|
28 |
1943: 2 Spitfire Mk I's (K9850, K9862) of 53 OTU collision Pontravel farm |
|
29 |
1944: 31st F.G. Col. McCorke (USAAF) leads final flight of 36 Spitfires over Rome
wwww(After this swan-song they stept (reluctant) over in the P-51B Mustang) |
|
30 |
1939: Heinkel He 100 achieves 463 mph (745 km/h), High Speed Spitfire cancelled |
|
31 |
1942: First Rolls-Royce Griffon engine delivered
1944: First flight of first production Seafire LF Mk III (NF545) |
