Sorry Dave, didn't watch this video until now. Just haven't had 14 minutes. Next time you post another great find, I'll find time.
FishT, thanks for posting this. There are 3 aircraft I want to log time in before I die, and the Spitfire is one of them. Great story.
Thanks Fish...I love videos like that. I was doing some digging one day and found old videos of flight procedures for the F4-U, along with P-51 and the twin tailed fighter...can't remember the model number.
P-38 It was classed as a F-5 for the original high speed Photo (Foto) runs. Probably the predecessor to the U-2 and Blackbird. Armed the P-38 did well but had problems at real (real) high speed, like in a dive. Poor elevator control. The supercharger and flight surfaces were fixed but by then, the p-51 had already won the hearts of european pilots and the P-47 Thunderbolts & F-6u Corsair had won the hearts of Pacific pilots. The P-38 did find a niche in North Africa but I can not say why right now. As a kid, the P-38 was my fav caus it looked so cool. On the personal side, I was in tears watching that video. I luv / hate watching stuff like that. God bless us all for what we have done AND bless the survivors who try to remind us not to go there again. Special prayers for those that did not come back.
As an English school boy, the Spitfire, Hurricane and Mosquito were the stuff that dreams were made of. The sound of big V12 Rolls Royce Merlin engines howling and growling, still sends a shiver down my spine today. I found out, later when my Mom married my Stepdad (who was a wooden boatbuilder from Hampshire), that many of his workforce were taken from yachts to Spitfire and Mosquito construction because of their woodworking skills. Each year here in Guernsey we have RAF day and a Spitfire and a Hurricane sweep pass either side of a Lancaster Bomber. That's 6 Merlins all roaring over your head at once. Bloody marvelous, the very ground you stand on shakes right up through the soles of your boots. Or should that be souls?
Just a side note to all of this, it amazes me that the world can be so small some times, what are the odds of two of the film crew being related to that man's buddy. Amazing! I recall years ago, reading about a group who had found a small group of P-38's buried under a polar ice cap or something. I contacted the guy in charge, they were trying to raise money for the reclamation of them. I was told if I raised half of the money that they would give me one of the 4 or 5 P-38's. Needless to say I couldn't raise a penny (my Clients thought I was nuts) I always wondered what happened with that project. Fish, Didn't the P-51's have the Merlin engines in them? That's one of the reasons I loved going to Reno Air Races earlier this year...I'd see those F-4U and P-51's and would try to imagine them flying over Europe. I'm a sucker for all of those WWII movies.
A whole air grope ran low on fuel during a ferry mission, then landed. The pilots were picked up but the craft were left behind. I recall a flic showing where they dug one out. Up a vertical ice shaft in pieces. They did get one out.
Could you find out who ran that deal, or where they are? I have access to a relatively new technology used in the Oil field that would be perfect for recovering the rest of those planes. PM me if you come across current information.
These loons are in need of help. http://www.warhistoryonline.com/war-articles/burma-spitfires-dig-back.html
I got The book about the lost P-38s in the ice, the whole story with pics. I will give to whoever is intersted, just pay postage. The title is the Lost Squadron.