BS138

Supermarine Spitfire BS138 Mk IX, Built at Eastleigh.

This aircraft, FF 9-8-42, was originally assigned to 133 [Eagle] Squadron RAF on 11 August 1942, but transferred to 8th Air Force, 4th Fighter Group, 336th Fighter Squadron on 22 August 1942. The aircraft was flown by 1Lt Gilbert G. Wright in escort of American bombers attacking the German airfield Porjeau at Morlaix, France on 26 September 1942.

Ran out of fuel and force-landed near Plouguin, 20km NW of Brest, France .

The aircraft was declared MIA. There is no known Missing Air Crew Report for this loss. P/O Gilbert G. Wright was captured after evading for seven months. Prisoner of War (POW). See his page at https://www.evasioncomete.be/fwrightgg.html

Connections

See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.

Units served with

People

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 4th Fighter Group 336th Fighter Squadron No 133 'Eagle' Squadron
  • Service Numbers: R/133887 (RCAF) / O-885139 (USAAF)
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Pilot

Places

Missions

Events

Event Location Date Description

Manufactured

Eastleigh, Hampshire, UK 9 August 1942 Built at Eastleigh. First flew 9-Aug-42.

Assigned

Debden, Saffron Walden, Essex CB11, UK 11 August 1942 Assigned to 133 [Eagle] Sqn RAF 11-Aug-42.

Crashed

Plouguin, France 26 September 1942 Ran out of fuel and force landed in Brittany 26-Sep-42. Pilot P/O Gilbert G Wright POW.

Other

Struck Off Charge SOC

27 September 1942 Struck Off Charge.

Revisions

Date
ContributorAl_Skiff
Changes
Date
ContributorED-BB
Changes
Sources

Corrected crash location and adapted the text in Biography

Date
ContributorED-BB
Changes
Sources

Added details about pilot Gilbert Wright's evasion before he was captured
Research for website https:/www.evasioncomete.be

Date
ContributorAl_Skiff
Changes
Date
ContributorAl_Skiff
Changes
Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 22-Oct-2014 Person Connection within site data.

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 22-Oct-2014 " Losses of the 8th & 9th Air Forces" Stan Bishop & John A Hey MBE; National Archives Records Administration (NARA) POW database; Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/4th_Operations_Group