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Supermarine Spitfire Mk Vb code MD-U EN951 of the 133 (Eagle) Squadron RAF.
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Supermarine Spitfire Mk Vb EN951 303 Sqn RAF, Sqn Ldr Jan Zumbach nearest cockpit.
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Supermarine Spitfire Mk Vb EN951 303 Sqn RAF.
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Supermarine Spitfire Mk Vb EN951 303 Sqn RAF, Sqn Ldr Jan Zumbach's A/C.
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Supermarine Spitfire Mk Vb EN951 303 Sqn RAF, Sqn Ldr Jan Zumbach's A/C.
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Kwaśniewski in cockpit of Supermarine Spitfire Mk Vb EN951 RF-D 303 Sqn.
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(then) Captain Don Blakeslee in a 4th Fighter Group Spitfire. Quite possible the aircraft is EN951 since that was the plane assigned to Blakeslee.
Supermarine Spifire EN951 Mk Vb, Built at Castle Bromwich Aircaft Factory.
Delivered to No 33 MU 17-5-42, assigned to 133S 'MD-U' 13-6-42 pilot Lt Don Blakeslee, transferred to 303S 20-4-43, transferred to 315S 6-6-43, Cat AC damage on Ops 11-7-43, ROS, assigned to 504S 10-10-43, transferred to 129S 26-1-44, to Vickers Armstrong South Marston 20-3-44 fuel syst mods, assigned to Central Gunnery School 27-9-44, transferred to 5516M 28-7-45
Service
Units
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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
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Military | Colonel | Fighter pilot, Commanding Officer | 4th Fighter Group
Don Blakeslee was born on 11 September 1917 in Fairport Harbor, Ohio. As a boy, he became captivated with planes while watching the Cleveland National Air Races held only 30 miles away from his home at 529 7th St, Fairport Harbor, Ohio. In 1938,...
Places
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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.
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Military site : airfield
RAF Duxford, now a museum and still a working airfield, was operated by the USAAF from 1943 to 1945. The base was briefly the home of the 350th Fighter Group in late 1942, but it was not until April 1943 that it became a fully American station when the...
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Military site : airfield
Built for the RAF in 1940-41, Eighth Air Force lodger units moved in in 1942. The 52nd Fighter Group and 82nd Fighter Group used the airfield, before the Royal Navy moved in and occupied the base until 1959. Partly closed, it was still used by the...
Events
Event |
Location |
Date |
Manufactured |
Castle Bromwich, West Midlands, UK |
May 1942 |
Built at Castle Bromwich Aircaft Factory.
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Delivered |
Lyneham, Wiltshire, UK |
17 May 1942 |
Delivered to No 33 MU 17-5-42.
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Assigned |
London Biggin Hill Airport, Main Rd, Biggin Hill, Bromley, Kent TN16 3BH, UK |
13 June 1942 |
Assigned to 133 [Eagle] Sqn 'MD-U' pilot Lt Don Blakeslee 13-6-42.
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Transferred |
Kirton in Lindsey, Gainsborough, North Lincolnshire DN21, UK |
20 April 1943 |
Transferred to 303 (Kościuszko) Polish Sqn 20-4-43. Pilot Sqn Ldr Jan Zumbach.
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Transferred |
Northolt, Greater London, UK |
6 June 1943 |
Transferred to 315 Sqn (City of Deblin) Polish 6-6-43.
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Combat damage |
Northolt, Greater London, UK |
11 July 1943 |
Cat AC damage on Op's 11-7-43.
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Repair On Site ROS |
Northolt, Greater London, UK |
12 July 1943 – 9 October 1943 |
Repair On Site.
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Assigned |
Castletown, Thurso, Highland KW14, UK |
10 October 1943 |
Assigned to 504 (County of Nottingham) Sqn 10-10-43.
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Transferred |
Peterhead, Aberdeenshire, UK |
26 January 1944 |
Transferred to 129 (Mysore) Sqn 26-1-44.
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Factory mods |
South Marston, Swindon, Swindon SN3, UK |
20 March 1944 – 26 September 1944 |
To Vickers Armstrong South Marston 20-3-44 fuel syst mods.
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Assigned |
Catfoss, Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire HU11, UK |
27 September 1944 |
Assigned to Central Gunnery School 27-9-44.
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Transferred |
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28 July 1945 |
Transferred to 5516M 28-7-45.
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