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BL255

Spitfire

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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.

Service

Units

  • 8th Air Force

    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. ...

  • 4th Fighter Group

    4th Fighter Group

    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...

  • 336th Fighter Squadron

    336th Fighter Squadron

    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...

  • No. 133 'Eagle' Squadron

    No. 133 'Eagle' Squadron

    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...

People

  • Dominic Gentile

    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...

Missions

  • VIII Fighter Command

    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. ...

Places

  • Biggin Hill

    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.

  • Debden

    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...

Events

Event Location Date
Manufactured Castle Bromwich, West Midlands, UK December 1941

Built at Castle Bromwich Aircraft Factory.
Delivered Burtonwood, Warrington, UK 5 December 1941

Delivered to No 37 MU 5-12-41.
Assigned Drem, North Berwick, East Lothian EH39, UK 16 February 1942

Assigned to 611 Sqn (West Lancashire) 16-2-42.
Crashed Drem, North Berwick, East Lothian EH39, UK 7 April 1942

Flying accident Cat CB damage 7-4-42.
Repaired Prestwick, South Ayrshire, UK 8 April 1942 – 28 September 1942

To Scottish Aviation for repair.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Factory Yeovil, Somerset, UK 14 March 1943 – 24 September 1943

Westland 14-3-43.
Assigned Bolt Head, Salcombe, Devon TQ8, UK 25 September 1943

Assigned to 610 Sqn (County of Chester) 25-9-43.
Transferred Detling, Maidstone, Kent ME14, UK 22 May 1944

Transferred to 118 Sqn 22-5-44.
Transferred Skeabrae, Orkney, Orkney KW17, UK 3 October 1944

Transferred to 611 Sqn (West Lancashire) 3-10-44.
Transferred Heston, Hounslow, Hounslow, Greater London TW5, UK 19 October 1944

Transferred to 61 OTU 19-10-44.
Struck Off Charge SOC Heston, Hounslow, Hounslow, Greater London TW5, UK 22 May 1945

Struck Off Charge 22-5-45.
Nicknames
'Buckeye-Don'
Production block number
Mk Vb
Manufacturer
Supermarine
Markings and paint scheme/livery

This aircraft bore the name "Buckeye-Don" and two victory symbols on its port side.
The aircraft's name referred to it's pilot's Piqua, Ohio, origins. Coded MD-T.

Revisions

Date Contributor Update
24 February 2016 10:00:08 Al_Skiff Changes to unit associations and place associations
Sources

Spitfire Production List.
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.
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.
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.
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.

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