Adrian Dwyer Posted May 10 Author Share Posted May 10 (edited) Just found this image- Blag with a different Spitfire: auxiliary tank and wing pylons. I am assuming this was whilst flying with 5 RFU (Italy or Sicily in '44). Does anyone know which RAF Squadron within DAF was designated as shown [?] K? All suggestions gratefully received! All the best. Adrian Edited May 11 by Adrian Dwyer additional photo of frustrating partial code for unknown squadron! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Barrell Posted May 10 Share Posted May 10 Looks like DX which was 4 sqdn SAAF. They were in Italy in 44 flying ground attack sorties. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Dwyer Posted May 11 Author Share Posted May 11 11 hours ago, Adrian Barrell said: Looks like DX which was 4 sqdn SAAF. They were in Italy in 44 flying ground attack sorties. Thanks Adrian. Of the options for the second letter - X Y and K - I thought K seemed the most likely (particularly by studying the aircraft in the background); but I accept X and Y also fit. The first letter is trickier. Depending upon the font, it could be: B C D G O P Q R or S! The SAAF link is entirely reasonable. I had assumed the aircraft must have been his but I suppose it may have been a visitor to 145 (squadron designation ZX), they may have shared a field or he got diverted. So, more research required: what a blow! Thanks again. A Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Dwyer Posted May 11 Author Share Posted May 11 Speaking of visiting aircraft and shared fields, the Mustang shown taxiing behind 'Blag's kite' is interesting. Research by the Aircrew Remembered site <https://aircrewremembered.com/> has identified it as the P-51C ’66’ named 'By Request'. I quote: 'It was flown by Commanding Officer Col. Benjamin O. Davis of the Tuskegee Airman, 'Red Tails', 332nd Fighter Group. This was one of a few unique P-51B/Cs that had the extended tail fillet fitted to the D-model Mustangs. The name 'By Request' was apparently added after the Tuskegee Airman proved themselves as ferocious escort fighters and Bomber Groups requested them as escorts.' Once you know the tail is red, you just can't stop seeing it. Great image! All the best. A 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Barrell Posted May 11 Share Posted May 11 You can discount several options by looking at what squadrons those codes related to. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_RAF_squadron_codes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Dwyer Posted May 11 Author Share Posted May 11 52 minutes ago, Adrian Barrell said: You can discount several options by looking at what squadrons those codes related to. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_RAF_squadron_codes Thanks Adrian. Yes, I looked at wiki but I'm not sure the list is comprehensive or adequately accommodates changes over time. Indeed, comparing it with 'known' images showing squadron designators, it seems quite badly deficient. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Dwyer Posted May 11 Author Share Posted May 11 Squadron codes matched to aircraft. This seems interesting: <https://air-war.org.uk/GENERAL/rafcode.htm> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Dwyer Posted May 11 Author Share Posted May 11 18 minutes ago, Adrian Dwyer said: Squadron codes matched to aircraft. This seems interesting: <https://air-war.org.uk/GENERAL/rafcode.htm> So, using that resource, squadrons that had: a first initial of B C D G O P R or S; had a second initial of K V X or Y; and flew Spitfires, were as follows: 19, 129, 134, 165, 275, 313, 314, 315 and 452. Any other runners and riders? A Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Dwyer Posted May 13 Author Share Posted May 13 (edited) On 5/10/2024 at 5:54 PM, Adrian Dwyer said: Just found this image- Blag with a different Spitfire: auxiliary tank and wing pylons. I am assuming this was whilst flying with 5 RFU (Italy or Sicily in '44). Does anyone know which RAF Squadron within DAF was designated as shown [?] K? All suggestions gratefully received! All the best. Adrian The cropped image below is confirmed as squadron code PK: this is not the aircraft behind Blagdon. Does it suggest the unknown squadron's second letter is likely to be X or Y? Similarly, and allowing for font variations, is the letter preceding X or Y more likely to be O or Q (at a push, could it be D?) Edited May 13 by Adrian Dwyer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Dwyer Posted May 13 Author Share Posted May 13 8 minutes ago, Adrian Dwyer said: The cropped image below is confirmed as squadron code PK: this is not the aircraft shown behind Blagdon. Does it suggest the unknown squadron's second letter is likely to be X or Y? Similarly, and allowing for font variations, is the letter preceding X or Y more likely to be O or Q (at a push, could it be D?) Looking at the history of 4 Sqn SAAF (the option suggested above by Adrian Barrell) its locations are recorded as follows: <http://www.historyofwar.org/air/units/SAAF/4_wwII.html> May-June 1944: Sinello June 1944: Marcigliano June-July 1944: Cisterna July-October 1944: Foiana October-November 1944: Rimini November-December: Bellaria December 1944-March 1945: Forli March-May 1945: Ravenna May-July 1945: Tissano Dates/locations that coincide with Blag's flying are: No5 RFU at Sinella (presumably the same as 'Sinello'?)- but in Aug 44; and Ballaria (with 145 Squadron) Dec 44 - April '45. This looks hopeful but the same site notes the squadron code for 4 Squadron Spitfires was KJ (as, indeed, does one of the wiki links). However, a different wiki link cites DX. Blag's meticulously compiled logbook shows he never flew as part of 4 Squadron - but must have encountered their aircraft as DAF progressed through Italy. It also shows the tempo of flying - and the losses associated with low-level ground attack sorties - were both high. Whatever the squadron, I salute them all. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Dwyer Posted May 13 Author Share Posted May 13 Cheers Blag! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Dwyer Posted May 14 Author Share Posted May 14 Having thought the trail was cold re: the unknown Spitfire, it has warmed up. The aircraft belonged to 237 (Rhodesia) Squadron: code DX. Along with other aircraft (all Spitfire IX) it was last flown by Blag on 9 October 1945. On 19 October 1945, the Squadron converted to Mustang IV. Blagdon also flew Spitfire PT 957 (Squadron code DV [T]), as shown in the attached print. <https://library.avsim.net/search.php?CatID=fsx&SearchTerm=spitfire&Sort=Added&ScanMode=0>. If I had read his logbook with greater care, I may well have noticed that what I assumed to be the last page of his log for 145 Squadron was actually the first page of his time with 237! So, the aircraft is DX [E], Spitfire IX of 237 (Rhodesia) Squadron, RAF, serial number NH269. The question now, is what is the aircraft in the foreground! Thank you to everyone who has shown an interest. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Barrell Posted May 14 Share Posted May 14 (edited) I thought it had to be an X as neither of the strokes are vertical, ruling out K and the join is too far down to be a Y. As for Wiki errors, yes well, the less said the better! Well done for pinning it down. Edited May 14 by Adrian Barrell Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sean N Posted Friday at 04:51 PM Share Posted Friday at 04:51 PM (edited) On 8/5/2023 at 8:27 PM, Adrian Dwyer said: It was only years later, via the diving store at 28 Amphibious Engineer Regiment, that I learned of the restorative effects of oxygen . . . Adrian, an aside, but were you in 28 Amphibious Engineer Regiment? Edited Friday at 04:52 PM by Sean N Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Dwyer Posted Friday at 07:07 PM Author Share Posted Friday at 07:07 PM 2 hours ago, Sean N said: Adrian, an aside, but were you in 28 Amphibious Engineer Regiment? Indeed I was: Feb '86 to Aug '87: TC 4Tp, 64 Amp Engr Sqn. A period in my life when all was well with the world! Were you there in the same period? All the best. A Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sean N Posted Friday at 08:14 PM Share Posted Friday at 08:14 PM 1 hour ago, Adrian Dwyer said: Indeed I was: Feb '86 to Aug '87: TC 4Tp, 64 Amp Engr Sqn. A period in my life when all was well with the world! Were you there in the same period? All the best. A No, but we had this for a while: Was 24 BT 94 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
earlymb Posted Saturday at 06:57 PM Share Posted Saturday at 06:57 PM This is a very interesting topic to follow, all of Blarg's adventures and all those different aircraft ☺️ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Dwyer Posted yesterday at 02:43 PM Author Share Posted yesterday at 02:43 PM 19 hours ago, earlymb said: This is a very interesting topic to follow, all of Blarg's adventures and all those different aircraft ☺️ I'm so glad that you and others have enjoyed it. In addition to the excellent 'All Spitfire Pilots' site, I have come across a wealth of other detail concerning other RAF/SAAF/RAAF/RNZAF Spitfire squadrons and pilots flying in Italy as part of 2TAF. I was struck by (a) the high rate of attrition they all suffered and (b) the tales of incredible escape from what Blagdon logged, so casually, as 'H.A.A'. fire. I feel a Vermouth coming on! All the best and thanks again for commenting. A Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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