8th Air Force
Eighth Air Force Bomber Command became the Eighth Air Force on February 1944, it oversaw bombardment of strategic targets in Europe until 1945.
...
The American Air Museum is Closed
Following recent government announcements the museum is currently closed, there is plenty to explore in our online archive.
The American Air Museum is a charity - Find out how you can support us
BM309
Spitfire
-
Sitting in its revetment at Debden in February 1943 is Spitfire Mk Vb AV-V, Serial No. BM309, of the 335th Fighter Squadron. On 22 January it had been used by 2nd Lt. Robert A. Boock to destroy an Fw 190 northwest of Dunkirk in the 4th Fighter Group's last big engagement with the Spitfire.
Supermarine Spitfire BM309 Mk Vb, Built at Castle Bromwich Aircraft Factory.
Delivered to No 12 MU 28-3-42, assigned to 122S 10-4-42, transferred to 335S 29-1-43 One-time personal aircraft of 2nd Lt. Robert A Boock, E/A kill Fw190 Dunkirk Robert A Boock 22-1-43, transferred to 315S 'PK-B' 23-3-43, transferred to 303S 6-4-43, transferred to 313S 27-9-43, Cunliffe-Owen 28-11-43, ATA Marwell Hall to Colerne 8-3-44, RNAS 808S Henstridge 9-4-44, as trainer Ran into lorry which halted suddenly Lee 1-6-44 (S/L NJ Bowen), transferred to
759S Yeovilton 8-44, FL due to partial EF 27-9-44 (S/L F Logie RNZN).
Service
Units
-
-
4th Fighter Group
Group
Some of the pilots of the 4th Fighter Group had seen many hours of combat by the time they joined the 4th Fighter Group as they had volunteered with the Royal Canadian Air Force and the Royal Air Force. The three 'Eagle Squadrons' of RAF Fighter... -
335th Fighter Squadron
Squadron
The 335th Fighter Squadron was the offspring of No. 121 (Eagle) Squadron RAF. Formed on 21 May 1941, No. 121 was the second of the three Eagle Squadrons composed of American volunteers flying out of England. They were known as the "Chiefs" and were...
People
-
Robert Boock
Military | First Lieutenant | Fighter pilot
Assigned to 71 [Eagle] Sqn RAF. Transferred to 335FS, 4FG, 8AF USAAF. Ditched in North Sea due to mechanical failure on 26 January 1943 (Returned To Duty - RTD). On 6 April 1943, smoke in the cockpit forced a landing 3.5 miles off the coast of North...
Places
-
Debden
Military site : airfield
RAF Debden, construction of which began in 1935, is perhaps most famous as a Battle of Britain fighter airfield, partly responsible for the defence of London in 1940. In 1942 it was also home to three RAF 'Eagle Squadrons’ of volunteer American pilots...
Events
| Event | Location | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Manufactured | Castle Bromwich, West Midlands, UK | March 1942 |
|
Built at Castle Bromwich Aircraft Factory. |
||
| Delivered | Kirkbride, Wigton, Cumbria CA7, UK | 28 March 1942 |
|
Delivered to No 12 MU 28-3-42. |
||
| Assigned | Scorton, Preston, Lancashire PR3, UK | 10 April 1942 |
|
Assigned to 122 Sqn 10-4-42. |
||
| Transferred | Debden, Saffron Walden, Essex CB11, UK | 22 January 1943 |
|
Transferred to 335th FS, 4th FG, 8th AF USAAF 22-1-43 One-time personal aircraft of 2nd Lt. Robert A Boock. |
||
| E/A Kill | Dunkirk, France | 29 January 1943 |
|
E/A kill Fw190 Dunkirk pilot Robert A Boock 29-1-43. |
||
| Transferred | Northolt, Greater London, UK | 23 March 1943 |
|
Transferred to 315 (Deblinski) Polish Sqn coded 'PK-B' 23-3-43. |
||
| Transferred | Hornchurch, Greater London, UK | 27 September 1943 |
|
Transferred to 313 Sqn 27-9-43. |
||
| To Factory | Southampton Airport (SOU), Southampton, Hampshire SO18 2NL, UK | 28 November 1943 – 7 March 1944 |
|
To Cunliffe-Owen 28-11-43. |
||
| ATA Ferry flight | Colerne, Wiltshire, UK | 8 March 1944 |
|
Ferry flight by ATA Marwell Hall to Colerne 8-3-44. |
||
| Assigned | Henstridge, Templecombe, Somerset BA8, UK | 9 April 1944 |
|
Assigned to 808 RNAS Henstridge 9-4-44. |
||
| Crashed | Lee, Ilfracombe, Devon EX34, UK | 1 June 1944 |
|
Whilst in use as a trainer, collided with lorry which halted suddenly Lee 1-6-44 Sub Lt NJ Bowen. |
||
| Transferred | Yeovilton, Yeovil, Somerset BA22, UK | August 1944 |
|
Transferred to RNAS 759 Yeovilton 8-44. |
||
| Crashed | Yeovilton, Yeovil, Somerset BA22, UK | 27 September 1944 |
|
Forced Landing due to partial Engine Failure 27-9-44 Sub Lt F Logie RNZN. |
||
| Transferred | Heston, Hounslow, Hounslow, Greater London TW5, UK | |
|
Transferred to 303 (Kościuszko) Polish Sqn 6-4-43. |
||
Revisions
| Date | Contributor | Update |
|---|---|---|
| 05 September 2015 17:46:54 | Al_Skiff | Changes to description, events and unit associations |
| Sources | ||
Spitfire Production List. |
||
| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 15 April 2015 20:26:31 | apollo11 | Created entry with serial number, aircraft type, production block number, manufacturer, markings, description, unit associations, person associations and place associations |
| Sources | ||
Personal research & 4th Fighter Group 'Debden Eagles' by Chris Bucholz. |
||
