Warbird Information Exchange

There's also a book about him I don't think anyone mentioned: "Sunward I've Climbed" by Hermann Hagedorn, published in 1942. I'm embarrassed to admit I haven't read it yet, but it looks good. So many books, so little time!

Dave

Something wrong there. RAF serials of that period were letter/number/number/number/number, and later letter/letter/number/number/number. So it should be 'X6976'. where 'X' is a missing letter. Someone can say what it was, I'm sure, as the possibles are limited, but I don't have that gen.

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James K

"Switch on the underwater landing lights"
Emilio Largo, Thunderball.

www.VintageAeroWriter.com

Another American poet-soldier during the Great War was Alan Seeger. He wanted to get in the fight before the U.S. was involved, so he served with the French Foreign Legion. KIA in 1916.

"I have a rendezvous with Death
At some disputed barricade,
When Spring comes back with rustling shade
And apple-blossoms fill the air—
I have a rendezvous with Death
When Spring brings back blue days and fair. "

JDK: Right you are. In Magee's logbook, the aircraft is simply logged as a Spitfire I, 6976. The full serial number was R6976. Located on Page 86 of SPITFIRE: THE HISTORY, shown as assigned to No. 53 OTU.

zeamerb17: My movie screenplay is based on Hagedorn's wonderful book. There are so many of Magee's letters to his family and friends in there, showing Magee to be a very prolific and expressive writer.

After doing so much research for so many years, I have uncovered many interesting items regarding Magee and his life. Here is one that I just found out about last week: When Magee came to the United States, the prep school he attended was Avon Old Farms School in Avon, Connecticut (it's still there!). While he was there, he had an instructor/mentor by the name of Paul Child. After teaching at Avon, Paul went on to do many other things; among them, meeting and marrying a very nice young lady whose maiden name was..... Julia McWilliams. Of course, when they got married Julia changed her last name to that of her husband. Julia... Child. Yes, THE Julia Child.