8th Air Force
Eighth Air Force Bomber Command became the Eighth Air Force on February 1944, it oversaw bombardment of strategic targets in Europe until 1945.
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Spitfire
Supermarine Spitfire BL255 Mk Vb, Built at Castle Bromwich Aircraft Factory.
Delivered to No 37 MU 5-12-41, assigned to 611S 16-2-42, Flying accident cat CB 7-4-42, to Scottish Aviation, assigned to 133S 29-9-42, transferred to 336th FS 1-10-42, FA Cat AC 26-11-42, ROS, Westland 14-3-43, assigned to 610S 25-9-43, transferred to 118S 22-5-44, transferred to 611S 3-10-44, transferred to 61OTU 19-10-44, SOC 22-5-45.
1st Lt Don Gentile's Spitfire wore two kill markings above the boxing eagle, denoting the Ju 88 and Fw 190 he claimed north of Dieppe during the ill-fated 19 August 1942 raid.
Eighth Air Force Bomber Command became the Eighth Air Force on February 1944, it oversaw bombardment of strategic targets in Europe until 1945.
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Group
Some of the pilots of the 4th Fighter Group had seen many hours of combat by the time they joined the 4th Fighter Group as they had volunteered with the Royal Canadian Air Force and the Royal Air Force. The three 'Eagle Squadrons' of RAF Fighter...
Squadron
The 336th Fighter Squadron was constituted by the War Department on 22 august 1942, and was activated at Bushey Hall, England, on 12 September. It had been designated as No. 133 (Eagle) Squadron, and was made up of American volunteers to the Royal Air...
Squadron
'On 1 August 1941, No. 133 reformed at Coltishall as the third 'Eagle' Squadron manned by American personnel. Equipped with Hurricanes it became operational at the end of September. The next month the Squadron moved to Northern Ireland, returning to...
Military | Major | Fighter Pilot | 4th Fighter Group
Don Gentile was born on December 6, 1920, to Italian parents in Piqua, Ohio. As a boy, he had always been fascinated with flying and built, as his mother remembered, hundreds of model airplanes. Don used to say to his mother, “I hope someday I'll be...
19 August 1942
31st Fighter Group despatches 123 Spitfires in support of the landings at Dieppe, France. 8 are lost. These are the first operations of VIII Fighter Command units under VIII Fighter Command control.
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Military site : airfield
An RAF Station with US lodger units. USAAF Spitfires and P-38s were attached to RAF No 11 Group stations in mid-1942 for training; also used for special operations by British and US forces.
Military site : airfield
RAF Debden, construction of which began in 1935, is perhaps most famous as a Battle of Britain fighter airfield, partly responsible for the defence of London in 1940. In 1942 it was also home to three RAF 'Eagle Squadrons’ of volunteer American pilots...
Event | Location | Date |
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Manufactured | Castle Bromwich, West Midlands, UK | December 1941 |
Built at Castle Bromwich Aircraft Factory. |
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Delivered | Burtonwood, Warrington, UK | 5 December 1941 |
Delivered to No 37 MU 5-12-41. |
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Assigned | Drem, North Berwick, East Lothian EH39, UK | 16 February 1942 |
Assigned to 611 Sqn (West Lancashire) 16-2-42. |
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Crashed | Drem, North Berwick, East Lothian EH39, UK | 7 April 1942 |
Flying accident Cat CB damage 7-4-42. |
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Repaired | Prestwick, South Ayrshire, UK | 8 April 1942 – 28 September 1942 |
To Scottish Aviation for repair. |
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E/A Kill x 2 | Dieppe, France | 19 August 1942 |
Ju 88 and Fw 190 claimed Nth of Dieppe 19-8-42. Pilot 1st Lt Don Gentile. |
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Assigned | London Biggin Hill Airport, Main Road, Biggin Hill, Bromley, Kent TN16 3BH, UK | 29 September 1942 |
Assigned to 133 Sqn [Eagle] RAF 29-9-42. |
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Transferred | London Biggin Hill Airport, Main Road, Biggin Hill, Bromley, Kent TN16 3BH, UK | 1 October 1942 |
Transferred to 336th FS, 4th FG, 8th AF 1-10-42. |
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Crashed | London Biggin Hill Airport, Main Road, Biggin Hill, Bromley, Kent TN16 3BH, UK | 26 November 1942 |
Flying accident Cat AC damage 26-11-42. |
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Repair On Site ROS | London Biggin Hill Airport, Main Road, Biggin Hill, Bromley, Kent TN16 3BH, UK | 27 November 1942 – February 1943 |
Repair On Site. |
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Factory | Yeovil, Somerset, UK | 14 March 1943 – 24 September 1943 |
Westland 14-3-43. |
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Assigned | Bolt Head, Salcombe, Devon TQ8, UK | 25 September 1943 |
Assigned to 610 Sqn (County of Chester) 25-9-43. |
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Transferred | Detling, Maidstone, Kent ME14, UK | 22 May 1944 |
Transferred to 118 Sqn 22-5-44. |
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Transferred | Skeabrae, Orkney, Orkney KW17, UK | 3 October 1944 |
Transferred to 611 Sqn (West Lancashire) 3-10-44. |
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Transferred | Heston, Hounslow, Hounslow, Greater London TW5, UK | 19 October 1944 |
Transferred to 61 OTU 19-10-44. |
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Struck Off Charge SOC | Heston, Hounslow, Hounslow, Greater London TW5, UK | 22 May 1945 |
Struck Off Charge 22-5-45. |
Date | Contributor | Update |
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24 February 2016 10:00:08 | Al_Skiff | Changes to unit associations and place associations |
Sources | ||
Spitfire Production List. |
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Date | Contributor | Update |
28 August 2015 21:04:12 | Al_Skiff | Changes to nicknames, markings, description, events, unit associations and mission associations |
Sources | ||
Spitfire Production List. |
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Date | Contributor | Update |
16 April 2015 18:48:44 | apollo11 | Changes to description and unit associations |
Sources | ||
Personal research & 4th Fighter Group 'Debden Eagles' by Chris Bucholz. |
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Date | Contributor | Update |
15 April 2015 19:33:00 | apollo11 | Changes to aircraft type |
Sources | ||
Personal research & 4th Fighter Group 'Debden Eagles' by Chris Bucholz. |
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Date | Contributor | Update |
15 April 2015 19:27:51 | apollo11 | Created entry with serial number, aircraft type, production block number, manufacturer, nicknames, markings, description, unit associations, person associations and place associations |
Sources | ||
Personal research & 4th Fighter group 'Debden Eagles' by Chris Bucholz. |