UK2 ER219 Supermarine Spitfire to US Shaibah.jpg

On 01/05/2013 13:55, Netko wrote:
On Wed, 1 May 2013 12:46:47 +0100, JR wrote
(in article ):


However, the location of ER219 is given as Shaibah - presumably RAF Shaibah
in Iraq. If correct, this line-up of aircraft is odd.

2 possibilities:
-post war storage?
-Spits previously used by US, about to be sent to the USSR?

Ah, being sent to the USSR - that hadn't occurred to me and it's probably the
answer. Thank you.

RAF Spitfires were shipped to Iraq from North Africa and at least some were
re-assembled at Shaibah before being ferried to Abadan for collection by
Soviet pilots. It's plausible to assume that these deliveries included
Spitfires still wearing Torch stars.

A couple of on-line references of relevance:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ww2peop...a4142594.shtml

http://lend-lease.airforce.ru/english/articles/spit/



The stars look very crude, including on the wing of ER219. Note that the
aircraft in the foreground has a star on the fuselage but an RAF Type B
on the wing.

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?

--
Peter