Looking for wartime Spitfire in the USA

[mike furline]

I can't help with the final outcome of AA963, but I do have a couple of pictures.

I also have a few pics of some of the other Spitfires that made it to the USA.
Spitfire Va - R7347 & W3119
Spitfire VI - AB200 (pics found in US NAVY Record Group at NARA. No description as to location. Possible USA)
Spitfire VII - EN474 (Currently displayed at NASM)
Seafire III - LR793
Seafire IIc - MB190
Spitfire LF IXc - MK210


AA963
Municipal Airport, Chicago, IL. March 16, 1942



Regards,
Mike

Last edited by mike furline on Fri Nov 26, 2010 11:03 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[seagull61785]

Thank you so much Mike,

I didn't have either of these pics (except for the close up of the shot from the hangar roof). Interesting to see your date of pics as March 16th 1942.

From the wartime shipping convoy schedules I have found that AA963 arrived in Nova Scotian waters on the SS Evanger as part of Convoy # ON68 and was dispersed on March 9th, docking at Halifax on March 10th.

From the manifest I noticed other cargo on this Western voyage were a number of captured Luftwaffe personnel destined to finish their war out at a camp in Canada. I wonder if the British tipped off the 'U' boats that some of their colleagues were aboard most Western-bound ships? The figures from those years show that the majority of convoys heading West were left alone, which was not the case with the fully laden Eastern-bound ones. The logical conclusion would be it was more effective for the 'U' boats to fire their torpedoes at ships bringing supplies to England rather than at empty ones heading back to the US for another load. Even so, letting the Germany Navy know that their blokes were on board would seem a sensible thing to do.

She must have gone straight to the Chicago display from Halifax for your pics on March 16th, as I have confirmed from Army Air Corps records that she wasn't officially received and booked-in at Wright Field until March 21st.

I had always thought the Chicago Municipal Airport display was in April '42 - must have been wrong. She still looks quite new - still 'in showroom condition' - six months later AA963 looks quite 'knackered' in other pics I've got. I think the majority of the Army Air Corps must have been queuing up for a 'go' during that time.

Thank you again for the pics,

Cheers

Barry

[Flat 12x2]

As others have said, try the Flypast forum & PM "Mark 12" or PM PeterA on here, they are very closely related and know a lot about Spitfires. Just search on here for PeterA's posts to see how much. BTW very interesting story, good luck in your research.

[seagull61785]

Thanks Martin,

Just done that.

Barry

[seagull61785]

Mike,

I've just hunted out these two nice colour pics from my archives. They are not the best quality but you may not already have them.



Here is a shot of the bf109F bearing the RAF serial AE479, parked somewhere at an unidentified location during the 'Cavalcade of the Air' tour. I think the Beaufighter is parked towards the rear. The civilian DC3 was part of the tour, probably as a support aircraft.



I presume that you already have the 'standard' shots of the two Va's based at Langley from their website. Here is an interesting pairing for you of W3119 and a larger mate, although I wouldn't have a clue where it was taken or when.

Cheers

Barry

[B17news]

I've got a list of some of the ones that were at Wright Field during 5/44

EN-474 (shows in storage)
MK-210
MK-317

[seagull61785]

Thank you Banndit,

The photo below is of the 'Foreign Aircraft Status Board' at Wright Field taken as at April 1st 1944. It shows AA963 at Lincoln AFB, with a change to 'Classification 26' - which means it was downgraded to a non-flyable instructional airframe, probably due to a lack of spares to keep it in the air.



As it still showed on Wright Field's inventory at that date I am assuming it hadn't yet been scrapped or disposed of.

Its interesting to compare your list with the Wright board.

Thank for the info,

Barry

[seagull61785]

Here's another source of research that has so far drawn a blank for me.

During the June - October 1942 'Cavalcade of the Air' fund raising tour as far as I can work out these aircraft pilots were involved:

Spitfire Vc serial AA963 - Lt Carter Clayton PORTER
Me 109F (RAF serial) AE479 - Major Elmer E McKESSON
P40E serial 125026 - (pilot not yet known)
P39D serial 17249 - Lt Henderson O ROSE (not fully confirmed)
Beaufighter X7718 - Captain William J WRIGGLESWORTH
DC3 civilian registration NC1948 - (pilot not known)
Civilian glider 2-seater Laister-Kaufman - Staff Sergeant William T SAMPSON II
Army L1A towplane - no details

Any ideas about these men anyone?

Cheers

Barry

[JDK]

You could try tracking the career of the 109 - Captured Luftwaffe is a (relatively) well documented area.

[B17news]

I have several sets of TDY orders from Wright Field that put crews to aircraft with dates/ missions, I'll take a look the next time I get "the box" out

[seagull61785]

James,

I've spent a large part of the last couple of years trying to document AE479's travels. There's a lot of good stuff out there, but not much when she was in the 'Cavalcade'. Similarly I have been piecing together the movements on the other aircraft in the show.

Banndit,

That sounds like a REALLY GOOD IDEA mate!

Cheers

Barry

[seagull61785]

There are some updates to this topic that have been recently posted in the 'WIX Maintenance Hangar' section of this website.

URL is - viewtopic.php?f=26&t=37222&start=15

Cheers

Barry

[Carlieportersaunders]

Hello. My father was Lt Carter Clayton Porter. My sister, brother, and I have my father's log books. Feel free to contact me.
Carlie Porter Saunders

[seagull61785]

Welcome to the WIX Hangar Carlie,

I have just sent you a PM with further explanation of my quest for information about Spitfire AA963. As your father appears to have been the regular pilot of AA963, I would be delighted to receive any information concerning the flights he made, the 'Cavalcade of the Air' and anything else you deem to be interesting from that era.

Many thanks,

Barry Gillingwater

PS - I started researching Spitfire AA963 when I was 15 years old. 51 years later this may be the breakthrough I have prayed for.

[Carlieportersaunders]

Hello Barry,
My siblings and I are happy to help in any way we can. Your message brought tears to my eyes.

I work full time and am a full time Mom. My 13 year old son decided yesterday to highlight my father's accomplishments in a
school project, which is how I happened upon this forum. This is going to be exciting because we lost our Dad in 1993, before my son was born.

He would have LOVED to talk to you about his life. Fortunately, he was able to share many experiences with my brothers, sister, brother in-law, and me. I also have many pictures and documents to go through for you and my son.

Am looking forward to gathering information for you. I received your PM and I will personally contact you soon!
Carlie