question American spitfire

[Willyslancs]

Not into planes really so sorry if its a silly question ..did the u.s have many spits?

[river6]

Hi, Yes the US had a number of Spitfire squadrons. The one in this photograph is in Sicily. When the US 8th Air Force first arrived in Britain in late '42 they lacked fighter aircraft and the US were allocated Spitfires under reverse lease lend. They also used them for Photo Recon. When US and British forces invaded North Africa (Torch) in November '42, US Spitfire squadrons went with them. They used them during the campaign in Tunisia and then for the invasion of Sicily in July '43 (Husky). They continued to use Spits in the Italian campaign. Back in UK the US 7th Photo Recon Group flew a squadron of Spit XI's right up to the end of the war. Don't forget it was the Packard built R R Merlin that turned the P51 Mustang into an aircraft instead of a Turkey!! Let's hear it for the Spitfire and the R R Merlin!!!

[Caddy]

That and the P51 was designed to a RAF/MoD specification.

First fitting of a RR Merlin was at Duxford (I bet that's news to everyone)

[RAFMT]

(I bet that's news to everyone)

 

Not me :-D

There was also some Spitfires flown by the US navy during the Normandy landings for spotter duties.