Aston Down to Chicago

Aston Down 1943

Speed 85 m.p.h., 100ft off the ground, over the threshold and the runway was
coming up fast. The pilot could not see over the spinner anymore and attempted to
judge distance to the ground by looing over the sides of the cocpit.
!t that critical point he forgot to watch his airspeed, it dropped below "5 m.p.h and
the Spitfire stalled and dropped to a very hard landing, damaging the left
undercarriage.
It was February 1943 and P9306 was damaged to the extent that it had to be shipped
to Westland Airra!t !or repair"
#louestershire was away !rom the main operational areas and so was an ideal
loation to train pilots and Aston $own played an important role in training% airra!t
storage and maintenane"
&he air!ield was opened in mid 193'% ha(ing been built on the site o! the First World
War )inhinhampton aerodrome% whih had been established on high ground to the
south o! *troud"
+, -&. arri(ed at Aston $own !rom $ebden in August 1941% with a mix o! )iles
)asters and /urrianes" &he !ollowing month saw the beginning o! the on(ersion to
*pit!ires" P9306 arri(ed on -tober ,,% 1941"
-perational training .nits were essentially non ombatant% but were on all and
expeted to be ready to go into ation when re0uired" &he airra!t ame !rom
operational units and were in operational olours% only the *0uadron odes were
hanged" P9306 had the odes #1 in ,42 letters applied either side o! the !uselage"
In mid August 1943 the situation hanged" 3easonably sa!e air!ields were re0uired
!or preparations in ad(ane o! the in(asion o! 4urope" Initially the air!ield was used
by the Fighter 5eaders *hool% tas6ed with teahing the latest !ighting tehni0ues to
senior pilots" *pit!ires were one again the main type used in this role% whih
ontinued until the ,6th 7anuary 1944 when the shool le!t !or )ill!ield in
8orthumberland"
From February to *eptember 1944 the station was part o! 8o"'4 #roup% the
organisation that pro(ided support !or the ,nd"&atial Air Fore"
Post war Aston $own was important in the proessing o! war surplus airra!t and
o(er a 1000 hea(y bombers were dismantled on the site" ,0 ). !inally losed on the
30th *eptember 1960% when its responsibilities was ta6en o(er by 8o"+ )". based at
1emble" /owe(er% some o! the hangars were still used !or se(eral years a!terwards
by 3AF 1emble !or the storage o! surplus airra!t"
In a re(erse o! !ortune% where pre(iously 9hedworth air!ield had been a
supplementary !ield% Aston $own now beame a 3elie! 5anding #round used by the
9entral Flying *hool based at 5ittle 3issington" For the next ten years 7et Pro(ost
airra!t would ome o(er here on a :day to day; basis to pratie approah and
landings" When 5ittle 3issington losed in 19<6 Aston $own was no longer re0uired
by the 3AF and it beame a pri(ate air!ield used by the 9otswold #liding 9lub"
P9306 ne(er returned to Aston $own" 3epairs too6 a little o(er a month and then the
airra!t was sent 33 ). at 3AF 5yneham !or storage on 14 )arh 1943"
It was alloated to -&. at 3AF 3ednal% where it the letters #1 were replaed by ..
around 4 )ay 1943"
Battle of Britain1940
9"0+ am% 9 7uly 1940= *0uadron 5eader 5awrene White too6 o!! in P9306 on an
aeptane !light o! the airra!t into <4 *0uadron 3AF based at /ornhurh" &he six
months o! storage !rom !irst !light on 19 7anuary and deli(ery on 6 7uly was ended in
!ine style"
It was a grey wet Wednesday and o!!iially the !irst day o! the >attle o! >ritain" At
6"++ am on 10 7uly% Pilot -!!ier Peter *te(enson !lew the !irst sortie o! the day in
P9306% with *0uadron ode ?P@/" At 10"3+ am he was in the air !or the third time%
!lying as 3ed 3 to *gt &ony )ould" &hey were pro(iding esort o(er !or 9on(oy
>read when at 11"00 am the ships were spotted by a single $ornier reonnaissane
airra!t with up to ,0 )e109 !ighters as o(er"
&he *pit!ires atta6ed and *te(enson destroyed one o! the )essershmitts and
laimed two as probable" In the early a!ternoon o! the same day *gt )ould !ore
landed P9446 a!ter sustaining damage while proteting another on(oy o!! $o(er"
P9306 had the !irst :6ill; mar6ing applied"
Another suess was shared on 1, 7uly with Flight 5ieutenant Adolph :*ailor; )alan
at the ontrols" /e had ta6en o!! on a patrol !rom 3AF )anston at 1'h10 and
together with another pilot shot down a /ein6el /e111" 5ater that e(ening *gt )ould
!lew P9306 ba6 to /ornhurh"
>ritish radar stations pi6ed up a large !ormation o! airra!t o(er $o(er on ,' 7uly
and alerted Fighter 9ommand that there were o(er 100 o! the enemy on their way
aross the hannel"
Air Aie )arshall 1eith Par6 released the *pit!ires o! 41 and <4 *0uadrons and the
/urrianes o! 111 and ,+< *0uadrons% to halt the inoming !ormation"
*ailor )alan was leading the twel(e *pit!ires o! <4 *0uadron !rom )anston whih
arri(ed !irst on the sene" As was normal pratise the *pit!ires went !or the !ighter
esorts lea(ing the bombers !or the /urrianes% whih arri(ed (ery shortly
a!terwards"
&he *pit!ires di(ed in aounting !or three )e109s but loosing two *pit!ires" Pilot
-!!ier Peter *t 7ohn was at the ontrols o! P9306 and managed to damage one o!
the enemy !ighters abo(e the *traits o! $o(er"
For the men who had !lown P9306% 11 August 1940 was a dramati% suess!ul%
tragi day" It was a day o! ombat !rom !irst to last thing% o! 100s o! airra!t engaged
in !reneti ombat"
Promoted to Ating *0uadron 5eader three days be!ore% )alan led <4 *0uadron into
ation on the !irst orders o! the day at <"49 am" &he twel(e airra!t limbed to ,0 000
!eet and atta6ed an estimated eighteen )e109;s"
$uring the !ighting the !irst pilot to sore a (itory in P9306% PB- Peter *te(enson
was shot down" In his words :a really large (olume o! annon and mahine@gun !ire
ame !rom behind" &here were about twel(e )e 109s di(ing at me !rom the sun and
at least hal! o! them must ha(e been !iring de!letion shots at me" &here was a
popping noise and my ontrol olumn beame useless" I !ound mysel! doing a
(ertial di(e% getting !aster and !aster"
I pulled the hood ba6" I got my head out o! the o6pit% and the slipstream tore the
rest o! me lean out o! the mahine" )y trouser leg and both shoes were torn o!!" I
saw my mahine rash into the sea a mile o!! $eal" It too6 me twenty minutes to
ome down" I had been dri!ting ele(en miles out to sea"
-ne string o! my parahute did not ome undone% and I was dragged along by my le!t
leg at ten miles an hour with my head underneath the water" A!ter three minutes I
was almost unonsious= then the string ame undone" I got my breath ba6 and
started swimming" &here was a hea(y sea running"
A!ter one@and@a@hal! hours% an )&> ame to loo6 !or me" I !ired my re(ol(er at it" It
went out o! sight% but ame ba6" I hanged magaCines and !ired all my shots o(er it"
It heard my shots and I 6i6ed up a !oam in the water% and it saw me" It then pi6ed
me up and too6 me to $o(er";
#ohn $rayn Turner The %attle of %ritain 1&&8 !irlife 'ublishing pp()*(+
*gt & > 1ir6 !lew P9306 on that day the most suess!ul day during the >attle o!
>ritain" $uring the third o! the !our battles <4 *0uadron engaged in% *gt 1ir6
destroyed an )e110 36 miles east o! /arwih at 4%000 !eet and later damaged an
)e109"
For another regular pilot o! P9306 PB- $onald 9obden, flying R6757, combat with
the Me109s resulted in him being shot down and he crashed into the sea. The
ermans reco!ered his body and he is buried in the "ostende #ommunity
#emetery. $t was %onald #obden&s '6
th
birthday.
*ome sixteen s0uadrons had been in ation aounting !or 3, 5u!twa!!e airra!t
destroyed and ,' damaged" &he ost was high% ,+ 3AF airra!t% two pilots on!irmed
6illed and ,0 missing"
&he months o! multiple sorties per day in high harged ombat situations meant that
the men needed a brea6% time to reharge and regroup" <4 *0uadron was trans!erred
o!! the !ront line on 14 August to Wiitering !or se(en days and then to 1irton@in@
5insey"
>e!ore the days o! instant news% people were in!ormed thought the medium o!
newsreels" &hese were + to 10 minute mo(ies% hal! doumentary% hal! propaganda%
highlighting the news o! the day" In Ameria the best 6nown was :&he )arh o! &ime;
produed by &ime% In"
P9306 was !ilmed with pilot >en $raper !or the Amerian news reel on ,9 August
1940" &his !ootage ould ha(e appeared in >ritain;s 3"A"F D EAol" <% 4p" ,F
E*ynopsisG 4nglish 3oyal Air Fore preparing to hallenge #ermanHs 8aCi air !ore
gain air superiority through training I tehnology" 3unsG 1<G,9F% or &he )arh o!
&imeG War >rea6s -ut @ &he >attle >eyond% Part ,"
&he *0uadron was ba6 on the !ront line% based at >iggen /ill !rom 1+ -tober"
P9306 was !re0uently engaged in ombat intereptions% no 6ills were reorded" -n
*eptember ,0% 1940% reords indiate that P9306 inurred damage re0uiring it to be
sent to 4+ ). !or repairs" &he nature o! the damage is not 6nown% nor is it 6nown
how long the plane was out o! ation be!ore reJoining the *0uadron"
7udging !rom the ati(ities o! <4 *0uadron through the losing months o! 1940% it is
possible that P9306 sored its !inal three 6ills during 8o(ember and $eember% the
s0uadron aounted !or ,6 enemy airra!t in 8o(ember% and 1, more in $eember"
In early 1941% <4 *0uadronHs ombat ati(ities too6 on an o!!ensi(e nature and were
arried out with newer )6"IIs= P9306 and other )6" Is were !ast beoming obsolete
as !irst@line weapons" -n 7uly 1<% 1941% P9306 was trans!erred to 131 *0uadron
then !orming up at -uston" All other mar6ings remained the same% and it is ertain
that P9306 now arried !i(e 6ill mar6s" &he !ighter saw no ombat during its short
stay with 131 *0uadron% but ser(ed as a training airra!t !or new pilots Joining the
unit" 3eords indiate that many o! them were >elgian
Chicago now
In 7anuary 1944% the aging !ighter was withdrawn !rom ati(e duty and earmar6ed !or
a maJor o(erhaul% but was damaged be!ore being olleted" It was sent !irst to 8o" 39
)aintenane .nit% at 9olerne% where it was alloated to the 3oyal 8a(y disposal
aount" It was then trans!erred to 8o" +, ). at 9ardi!!% Wales% where it was
alloated to the )useum o! *iene and Industry 9hiago on ,6 August 1944"
It arri(ed in 9hiago on 19 *eptember and at a !ormal eremony on 10 8o(ember it
was presented to the )useum" 3epresenting the .nited 1ingdom was Air
9ommodore $"5" >la6!ord who was then stationed in Washington% $"9"
As 9ameron 5ynh noted= :When (iewing the plane in the museum% itHs easy to pass
it o!! as Just another anonymous warbird% one in a parade o! planes that were
!re0uently destroyed within days o! being built" Kes% they were expendable" >ut this
one sur(i(ed" It was there when the /ein6el /e 111s made their runs aross the
4nglish 9hannel" It stru6 !ear in the hearts o! rear gunners trapped in outlassed
>!110s" It was !lown by suh names a )alan% )ungo@Par6% *te(enson% and
>rCeCina" It was not the personal airra!t o! any one pilot% but was 6ept ready !or any
pilot on all when the order to sramble was gi(en@@in the summer o! 1940% that
happened a lotL;
&he 9olletions Assistant at the 9hiago )useum o! *iene and Industry ga(e
9ameron 5ynh me the !ollowing details% regarding the history o! *pit!ire P9306"
M&he *pit!ire )6" IA in the )useumHs olletion had at least se(en paint shemes
during its operational li!etime" I am unertain as to whether or not the plane was
painted again a!ter its arri(al at the )useum" -ur wor6 order reords indiate that
the airra!t was Hassembled and rehabilitatedH be!ore its; installation here" It is not
lear i! part o! this HrehabilitationH inluded a new paint Job or i! the airra!t was
Htouhed@upH by the )useum sine the airra!t was o! !airly reent onstrution when
it arri(ed here in 1944 and was part o! a larger 3oyal Air Fore exhibition"
At some point the engine and mahine guns were remo(ed and although not on
display are held in storage by the )useum"
&here are no reords o! the type o! damaged su!!ered in any o! the aidents
reported against P9306" It is lear when loo6ing at the air!rame in the )useum that
there are signs o! repair beneath the o6pit door and in the adJoining wing !illet
panels" &he !uselage !uel tan6 o(er !orward o! the windshield appears to ha(e been
badly ripped% then welded shut and painted o(er" Finally% the exhaust mani!olds ha(e
been replaed by the !ishtail type that was more ommon to the )6" A *pit!ire"
&he plane arries the standard day !ighter sheme o! $ar6 #reenB-ean
#reyB)edium *ea #rey that was authoriCed a!ter August 1+% 1941" &he national
insignia ha(e been retained% but there are no unit mar6ings"
Along the starboard side o! the o6pit there are !i(e #erman 6ill mar6s" &here
appears to ha(e been no standard way pilots or their rew mar6ed (itories% so it
would be wrong to say that it is unusual that the mar6ings are in yellow and unusually
on the starboard side o! the o6pit" /owe(er it is also (ery possible that these were
painted on by the >ritish In!ormation *er(ie be!ore it was gi(en to the )useum"
&he 13 8o(ember 1969 issue o! Flight International published a letter !rom the well
6now original author o! Wre6s and 3elis% 5eslie /unt" /e wrote to the magaCine
reporting that on 16 *eptember )useum sta!! were lowering the airra!t on display
when the winh attahed to the 7un6er 7u'< slipped and the airra!t rashed 40 !t to
the ground" &he *tu6a% one o! two omplete air!rames% and was repaired by the 4AA
at /ales 9orner"
*pit!ire P9306 was lowered without inident% although the loal &A news reported in
Jest that :another swasti6a had been painted on the 3AF !ighter"
)r /unt appealed !or the )-$ to arrange to send a )6 NAI to this museum and
reo(er the rare )6 la" It is% aording to the museum% only on loan !rom the 3AF
It was last lowered in ,00< and leaned but no restoration wor6 was arried out
P9306% the )useumHs 1940 *upermarine )ar6 1A *pit!ire hangs in permanent
ombat" It is ban6ing% !ore(er atta6ing the *tu6a whih is in an eternal mid di(e"
A6nowledgements and bibliography
9ameron 5ynh $en(er 9olorado
& >olt 9hiago D photographs o! the *pit!ire in the )useum
#uy 7e!!erson )>4 httpGBBwww"Je!!+3"!snet"o"u6Bindex"html"htm
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