On 01/05/2013 19:28, Netko wrote:
On Wed, 1 May 2013 14:50:52 +0100, Ramsman wrote
(in article ):

Morgan & Shacklady's Spitfire The History gives basic details of every
aircraft. ER219 is not shown as going to the USAAF, but was struck off
charge on 30-4-43. I think it's probable that these stars are Operation
Torch markings, although that was from 8-11-42. But why Shaibah in that
case, unless that's where aircraft were scrapped?

Sorry I didn't make it clear enough in my post but the Spitfires were crated
up in N Africa, shipped to Iraq and re-assembled in Shaibah (and possibly
elsewhere). They were then flown over the border to Iran where they were
collected by the Soviet Air Force.

The March '43 date you quote corresponds to the timing in the Russian URL I
listed.


The data in the book are taken from RAF Form 78, which lists the
movement of an aircraft from unit to unit, and had ER219 been
transferred to another air force it would have been shown as such on the
form.

There are lists of all aircraft transferred to other air forces, and
ER219 does not appear as going to either the USAAF or the USSR, so I
think we can assume that it never left the RAF.
--
Peter