e-mailrobert.swaddling@sympatico.ca
if any more information could be
given relating to this plane for a future Book.
VICKERS-SUPERMARINE
SPITFIRE LF MK IX c MK923
HISTORY
ROYAL AIR FORCE
WAR SERVICE
Ordered – May 28 1942 Contract No. B981687/39
Built – March 1944 at Castle Bromwich Aircraft
Factory - Birmingham UK
Part of batch – MK881 – 926
The first test
flight was carried out by Alex Henshaw on the 18th March 1944.
The aircraft received a full test flight for that day ( max
climb, altitude, speed at altitude and dive ) according to his
log book. It was then passed ready for collection late March
1944.
MK923 was
delivered to 9MU at RAF Cosford on the 24.3.1944, where it was
stored until issue to a Squadron. The first Squadron was that of
126 Squadron at Sawbridgenorth, Hertfordshire on 10.5.1944. Given
code 5J-Z. The Squadron moved three times, first to Culmhead on
the 22.5.1944 and again to Harrowbeer on the 3.7.1944 and finally
to Bradwell Bay 30.8.1944.
MK923 first action
was on a sortie on May 28 1944 flown by 126 Squadron. The pilot
for this was Commanding Officer Sq. Ldr. W.W.Swinden on a
shipping recon to the St. Brieuc-Ile de Batz area. S/L Swinden
chose this plane as his personal mount with other pilots flying
in her occasionally. June 1944 saw Swinden replaced by Squadron
Leader J.A.Plagis ( Rhodesian ace ) who chose ML214 as his
prefered plane more so of MK923. The plane stayed active but with
no specific pilot.
August 14 1944 two
Messerscmitt Bf 109G's were shot down by Pilot Officer Risley on
Rodeo 202 South of Paris (combat
report) MK923 then left 126 Squadron after
squadron were relocated to Bentwaters in Suffolk 30.12.1944 and
re-equipped with Mustang III during December. She was then passed
onto 32MU at RAF St. Athen South Wales for a major Inspection.
From there she then moved to 1C.R.U at Cowley, Oxforshire for
repairs in late 1944, and with the plane back to Airworthy
condition in April 1945 with the closing of the war in Europe
there was no rush for any further combat / movement. Once again
the plane was placed into storage with 39 MU at Colerne 11.5.45
MK923 ( along with
many other Spitfire's that survive today ) were sold . The plane
was taken on charge by the Dutch Goverment on the 19.5.47. Flown
to 47 MU at RAF Sealand- dismantled and crated for shipping. She
left Tilbury docks on May 1947 aboard S.S.Rotti bound for India.
From there she was transported to Kalidjati.
The plane was
re-assembled by an advanced party, and the first test flight was
17.11.47 piloted by Tub Brubbink. These flights were with the
Serial No. H-104 complete with her Dutch National camouflage. (
This no. was given by technical staff as no official serial no.
had been given )
The last two test
flights were carried out on 5.12.47, then she was flown to join
322 Squadron for training flights.
One or Two of the
Spitfire's ( H-63 & H-104 ) flew again in combat operations
on the 19th December 1947 , piloted by Harry van Gorkom. This
operation was to destroy enemy radio transmitters by means of
Bombing or Strafing. Later on in the conflict she was stripped of
all RAF camouflage and painted green overall with light blue
wings and given the serial no. H-61.
MK923 was
responsible for 24 Bombing mission's ( 24 bomb symbols painted on
cowling ). She was later involved in a accident on the 11th July
1949 again with pilot Harry van Gorkom at the controls
Accident
acount:-
Harry was a bit of a character and dove MK923 at a boat on a
nearby lake. He made a low pass and saw the captain of the boat
dive flat on the deck. He came back even lower the next
pass, about even with the height of the boat, and the captain
hugged the deck of his craft again.
Harry wanted to see him swim so he came back again , lower still!
The skipper jumped overboard and started swimming away for
safety. This made Harry happy and smiling but as he pulled up to
climb to altitude the Merlin engine started to run rough.
The airspeed dropped and there was a loss of power but the RPM
was OK. He landed safely back at the base as soon as possible.
After shutdown he wanted the engine checked by the crewchief.
The smiling crewchief showed Harry the propeller.
Two blades were broke almost in half , one was missing a quarter
, and the other a tip. It was a miracle that he made it
back to base. He must have got a little “ too “
low and just touched the water with the Rotol prop and
being made of laminated wood the blades broke. The
imbalance of the broken blades must have been terrific but MK923
brought Harry van Gorkom home . No mention is made of the poor
frightened captain of the boat on the lake but I would say that
he had good reason to jump for safety seeing MK923 bearing down
on him at zero altitude and throwing up all kinds of spray and
propeller blades.
MK923 was repaired and finished
her ops against the guerillas . She was then flown to Andir
Sept.1949 and put into storage. Crated and shipped back to
Rotterdam 1950.
She was sold to
the Belgian Airforce March 1952. From there MK923 was transferred
to Fokker N.V at Schipol and given a major overhaul and test
flown by Fokker 26.11.1952 by Pilot Jas Mol, as B-9 before later
given the regestration no. SM-37.
Six more flights
followed during December 1952 & January 1953. The last flight
was on the 2nd Febuary 1953 at which point she was accepted and
flown to Belgium. Used by the BAF as an advanced trainer for
gunnery etc.
MK923 was sold to
COGEA Co and given Belgian registration 00-ARF on 25-4-1958.
COGEA was a civilian company based at Middlekirke Airport in
Ostend , Belgium upon whic COGEA were gicn a towing contract in
conjunction with the Belgian Army. She was fitted with towing
target gear under the rear fuselage and flown over many target
ranges.
The plane was then
leased along with three other Spitfire's in 1961 , for the movie
" The Longest Day ". MK923, 00-ARF was painted a
spurious comouflage with 340 Squadron ( Ile de France ) codes
GW-U and also inaccurate wrong style lettering and oversize cross
of Lorraine below the windscreen.
Only two
Spitfire's appeared in the finished film of which MK923 was not
one of them. All the Belgian Spitfire's were flown back to
Oestend but were impounded by the French Goverment at
Beauvais-Tille Airport in Northern France. The reason for this is
the French had been advised that all the planes were being
delivered for Military action by the Katangan Air Force in Africa
, and they did not want to be associated with any war materials.
An
argument between The Belgian Goverment Vs French Goverment raged
and the French finally accepted this was not going to be the case
. They were ordered to be stripped and transported by road to
satisfy the French authority. This ation was carried out and the
final leg of the journey to Oestend was carried out by road and
MK923 was once again assembled and stored.
She was
sold in 1963 to the movie actor Cliff Robertson. The final part
of her Civillian life was that she was flown from Oestend to
Southend U.K by the late Neil Williams via Swanton Morley in
Norfolk to Biggin Hill.
The plane
was again dismantled and crated for shipping by Film Aviation
Services on the 7th November 1963 ( the company that handled the
original sale ) with a overall dark blue paint finish.
The plane was
shipped to Santa Anna California on 17th November 1963 on a
flying Tiger Airlines Canadair CL-44. Following a full overhaul
and new registration N93081( The first plane to carry a civil
reg. No. in the USA ) She was finished in a overall dark blue
paint .
Her first test
flight took place in the USA in 1964. Flown sparsely (
inexperienced pilots of Spitfire's- said it was a terrible
Aircraft ). Re-registered N512R and based at Oxnard California.
Cliff Robertson
met with the only other Spitfire owner in the USA the late Bill
Ross ( MK XVI- SL721) They decided to totally rebuild MK923 at
the Ross facility at Dupage County Airport near Chicago Cliff
wanted an expert Spitfire pilot and Ross recommended ex RCAF Spit
pilot Jerry Billing who was piloting the late Don Plumb’s T9
ser. TE308 ( Jerry started flying Spits in Apr. 1942 and stayed
current on them till Oct. 1994 – the most experienced
Spitfire pilot to this day – 52 ½ years )
MK923 was
test flown by Jerry at Oxnard California on the 16th September
1972 it needed trimming but flew like a typical MkIX Spitfire -
beautiful. She then had a complete overhaul of airframe , new
ZERO time Merlin Engine 76 fitted ( Mustang )and was flown to
Buffalo New York.
The A/C
was again painted incorrectly in the respect of the camuflague
scheme, trying to bring her back to RAF service color's with 126
Squadron as 5J-Z in 1976.
Once again
the aircraft was on the move , flown back to Windsor Ontario
close to Jerry's home.
MK923 was
sold to a Mr. Craig McCaw , and ferried back to California by Bud
Granley. During this moved she was damaged and underwent repair
at Sanders facility. From there she proceeded to Washington
State. Taking part in a Air Show aat Tillamook Washinghton in
1999.
For sale
again and was finally grounded due to poor condition ( loose
rivets ) in November 2000.
A decision
was made to either reskin the lady or place her in a Museum for
the rest of the world to see. Due to the cost , the Museum idea
was brought forward and she now resides at Seattle Washinghton-
Museum of Flight.With her being a D-Day veteran and having two
Enemy Aircraft to her credit retirment is no shame.
e-mailrobert.swaddling@sympatico.ca
if any more information could be
given relating to this plane for a future Book.
