“On the second and third mission,
I flew with a different wingman
and about all we found was a true
French warrior on a motorcycle. We
got behind him and he took to the
hills. We both kept shooting behind
him; I don’t think we ever hit him.
“The next day, recon couldn’t find
anything moving. At about 2pm
we were having trouble with my
Spit, and the crew chief had just
fixed it when there was a terrific
explosion... When the second round
hit I realised we were drawing
artillery fire.
“I jumped in my Spitfire and
taxied to the runway, where already
there were several ahead of me. I
think every pilot in both squadrons
took off. Finally, the culprit was
located. One 75mm piece had
gotten to the hills to the south andwas firing away. I believe everyone
in the two squadrons had a crack at
it and needless to say, it was put out
of business.”READY TO GO
In Algeria a recurring problem
common to all Spitfires in North
Africa reared its head. Twelve from
the 308th were escorting nine
Douglas A-20 Havocs, six P-39s
and six Curtiss P-40 Warhawks
when the P-40s were attacked
by eight Fw 190s. The Spitfires
engaged with five of them getting
firing opportunities, but none of
the guns worked.
Col Fred M Dean, the 31st Group
commander, explained: “Guns
were frequently clogged by sand.
We put canvas bags over the end of
each cannon, and toilet paper“As I landed, in came four Dewoitine D.520
Vichy French fi ghters and they strafed all
around me. I immediately told Major Thyng,
he and Red Flight swarmed all over them
and shot three of them down”
was firing away. I believe everyone was firing away. I believe everyone
in the two squadrons had a crack atTo p
A 31st FG Spitfi re at
Pomigliano, Italy, with the
name ‘Sitzmark’ on the
cowling. BILL SKINNERAbove left
Named after 1st Lt Leland
P Molland’s place of birth,
Spitfi re Mk.VIII HL-K ‘Fargo
Express’ was assigned to
the 308th FS. It is seen
here at Castel Volturno,
Italy, in February/March- BILL SKINNER
Above
A 31st FG armourer works
on the guns of a Spitfi re
Mk.Vb. HARRISON THYNGLeft
Maj Frank Hill poses by one
of the 31st’s Spitfi res after
he’d claimed his fi fth ‘kill’,
Tunisia 1943. FRANK HILLSeptember 2018 FLYPAST 109