PA944
Supermarine Spitfire PA944 PR Mk XI, Built at Chattis Hill Spitfire Factory.
Delivered to Benson 14-2-44, assigned to 14th PRS, 7th PRG, 8th AF, USAAF 20-4-44,
Flying accident Cat 3 12-8-44, to Heston Aircraft Ltd for repair 5-4-45, recat cat E 13-9-45, SOC.
The Spitfire was used extensively by Reconnaissance Units due to it's large fuel tanks and it's high maneuverability. Spitfires used by the American air force did not have any weapons as they were not needed by the units which would not get into dogfights as it would jeopardize the precious data which they had with them in the forms of photos. This left the best defense of reconnaissance Spitfires to be speed. During one mission of the Spitfire PA944 the plane took fire and the pilot, Lieutenant Colonel John Blyth had to take evasive action. On returning to Britain he found that he had suffered damage to the landing gears which had jammed and he was force to belly land the plane.
Connections
See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.
Units served with
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Type Category: Reconnaissance
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Reconnaissance
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 827th Engineer Aviation Battalion
- Service Numbers: 36569029
- Highest Rank: Corporal
- Role/Job: Machinist
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 7th Photographic Reconnaissance Group 14th Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron 22nd Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron
- Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 7th Photographic Reconnaissance Group 14th Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-2044636
- Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Photo Reconnaissance Pilot
Places
- Site type: Airfield
Missions
- Date: 12 September 1944
Events
Event | Location | Date | Description |
---|---|---|---|
Delivered |
Royal Air Force Station, Benson, Wallingford, Oxfordshire OX10 6AB, UK | 14 February 1944 | Delivered to RAF Benson 14-2-44. |
Assigned |
Mount Farm Cottage, Dorchester, Wallingford, Oxfordshire OX10 7PG, UK | 20 April 1944 | Assigned to 14th PRS, 7th PRG, 8th AF, USAAF 20-4-44. |
Crashed |
Mount Farm Cottage, Dorchester, Wallingford, Oxfordshire OX10 7PG, UK | 12 September 1944 | Belly Landing in Spitfire PR MK XI PA 944. 12th of September 1944, John S Blyth, who by now had risen in the ranks to Captain, got into trouble while on a reconnaissance mission in Germany. His headset cord got caught in the CO2 manual system for the landing gear and the landing gear got locked up. He flew around trying to get the wheels down and failed. In the end, Blyth was forced to make a belly landing in the Spitfire. |
Other To factory for repairs |
Heston, Hounslow, Hounslow, Greater London TW5, UK | 5 April 1945 | To Heston Aircraft Ltd 5-4-45. |
Other Re-categorised |
Heston, Hounslow, Hounslow, Greater London TW5, UK | 13 September 1945 | Re-categorised to Cat E 13-9-45. |
Other Struck Off Charge SOC |
Heston, Hounslow, Hounslow, Greater London TW5, UK | 14 September 1945 | Struck Off Charge 14-9-45. |
Manufactured |
Spitfire Lane, Chattis Hill, Stockbridge, Hampshire SO20 6JS, UK | Built at Chattis Hill Spitfire Factory. |