2 replies to this topic

[Armand]

To me this picture can be one of two things:
- As a stop gap did USAAF operate as much as 600 Spitfires until P-51 became avaiable in the MTO.
- At the common TORCH landing in North Africa was the FAA so scared around the abilities of USNAF pilots that they chosed to not only use white star decals on their mainly US built carrier fighters (as they already had done in the Pacific), but they morely adapted the USNAF paint scheme to avoid being exposed to freindly fire during the desert invasion.

This picture is from the Invasion of Italian mainland at Naples and as the white star on a Spitfire could be caused by both facts do i ask if Anyone can determine it as British or US operated? Personally i find the lettering around the star much RAF-like, but thats all.
In case of the first is it to conclude that the British sceptism against Yank pilots evolved widely from the Pacific and in case of the last will this be the first picture i've seen of an American Spitfire!

Edited by Armand, 24 November 2017 - 10:03 PM.

[CORSNING]

http://www.wwiiaircr.../31st/31st.html

 

Jeff

[bearoutwest]

Hi Armand.

A number of USN scout pilots also flew "offically borrowed" Spitfires for battleship and cruiser gunfire spotter missions over the Normandy Beaches.  I guess the reasoning was that they had a greater chance of survival if flying Spitfires/Seafires rather than the usual Kingfisher observation aircraft.

 

See following articles for more "white star Spitfire photos".

https://warisboring....icas-spitfires/

 

https://fearoflandin...-1944-and-2005/

 

http://www.hampshire...ields/los2.html

 

...geoff

Edited by bearoutwest, 25 November 2017 - 12:52 PM.