August 2017 FLYPAST 61WHAT MAKES SPITFIRE MH434 SO SPECIAL?
KEN ELLIS FINDS OUT
Spitfire IXs, was based at Fairlop in
Essex and used nearby Hornchurch
as a satellite. After a short while
with 64, Bill was transferred to
485 Squadron, Royal New Zealand
Air Force, also at Hornchurch and
equipped with Mk.IXs.COOKING THE BOOKS
A selection of Bill’s engaging
anecdotes follows. Some relate to his
time when he piloted MH434; most
do not, but are just as fascinating.
“New Zealander Wg Cdr Bill
Compton [of the Hornchurch
Wing] posted me to 222 Squadron
[from 485 Squadron] as the deputy
commander for ‘A’ Flight on
November 9, 1943, and MH434
was allocated to me on that date.
However, after ten offensive sorties
the unit was taken off operations
and we underwent low-level ground
attack training off Southend.”
Bill Burge was 24 when he joined- Spitfire IX MH434 had been
given the unit codes ‘ZD-B’ –
“On a dozen occasions I was
involved in dive-bombing the ‘buzz-
bomb’ sites just inland from the
French coast. The bomb sighting
equipment was quite primitive”Spitfire IXs, was based at Fairlop in Spitfire IXs, was based at Fairlop in Spitfire IXs, was based at Fairlop in Above
MH434 in ‘Battle of
Britain’ colours and
temporarily wearing its
civil registration, 1968.
KEC-ROY BONSERLeft
Complete with black and
white ‘Invasion’ stripes,
MH434 carrying the
initials of its owner –
Adrian Christopher Swire- as unit codes, during
the 1970s. KEY COLLECTION