LSP_Mike Posted August 7, 2023 Share Posted August 7, 2023 Aircraft coded AQ○C Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack Posted August 7, 2023 Share Posted August 7, 2023 9 hours ago, thierry laurent said: Well... I was not kidding... oops....i stand corrected, thanks for the info! thierry laurent 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Roberts Posted August 7, 2023 Share Posted August 7, 2023 (edited) 10 hours ago, LSP_Mike said: Anyone else notice the prybar in the cockpit door? Spitfire P8131 began life as a Mk IIa in May 1941 but was converted to an Air Sea Rescue Spitfire in early 1943 and entered service with 276 Squadron in April 1943. Not sure when the crow bar was added to Spitfire doors - if after May 1941, it looks like P8131 received a new cockpit door with the fit out to ASR standard. Edited August 7, 2023 by Pete Roberts Tolga ULGUR, TAG and Martinnfb 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LSP_Mike Posted August 7, 2023 Share Posted August 7, 2023 Thanks for the detailed response Pete. Good info Pete Roberts 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CRAZY IVAN5 Posted August 8, 2023 Share Posted August 8, 2023 This is exactly why I like this forum ! Lots of great info here, I never knew till now that Spitfires [any] carried flares. Good stuff! Tolga ULGUR 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeMaben Posted August 8, 2023 Share Posted August 8, 2023 (edited) 19 hours ago, John1 said: That's a pretty big flare. Not sure I'd want that thing a few feet behind my butt on a combat mission! One errant mg round and you've got a real "hot seat". Just to be clear, those are flare tubes. The flares are inside the tubes and for air sea rescue they were parachute flares . Hurricane MkIIs had them (one) too. They were used to signal an emergency (injured pilot for example) so ground crew (ambulance) could be ready, and also given priority landing. ...or so I read in a book. Edited August 8, 2023 by MikeMaben Uncarina, Shoggz, CRAZY IVAN5 and 1 other 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tolga ULGUR Posted August 8, 2023 Author Share Posted August 8, 2023 2 hours ago, MikeMaben said: Just to be clear, those are flare tubes. The flares are inside the tubes and for air sea rescue they were parachute flares . Hurricane MkIIs had them (one) too. They were used to signal an emergency (injured pilot for example) so ground crew (ambulance) could be ready, and also given priority landing. ...or so I read in a book. These are new things for me Mike, thanks CRAZY IVAN5 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dennismcc Posted August 8, 2023 Share Posted August 8, 2023 An Edgar moment is called for here regarding the crow bar. The crowbar was not fitted, as standard, until November, 1941, though the fittings went into the Spitfire much earlier (it's possible that, at first, like the Hurricane, the bar was by the seat.) Red appears to be a post-war "Elfin safety" requirement; all evidence that I've seen, says that they were black, natural steel, or (Army) bronze green. Edgar Also It was retro-fitted, to all Marks, but not until those dates. Edgar Cheers Dennis MikeC, MikeMaben, Kagemusha and 4 others 3 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LSP_Mike Posted August 8, 2023 Share Posted August 8, 2023 Thanks Den, that was the reference I was trying to remember. Ok on a Mk Vb, but not red. Maybe black as a wee detail. Uncarina 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeC Posted August 8, 2023 Share Posted August 8, 2023 1 hour ago, dennismcc said: Red appears to be a post-war "Elfin safety" requirement; Slight diversion, but this seems to no longer apply: certainly the item on our Vc at Shuttleworth is steel grey. MikeMaben 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Roberts Posted August 8, 2023 Share Posted August 8, 2023 (edited) 14 hours ago, MikeMaben said: Just to be clear, those are flare tubes. The flares are inside the tubes and for air sea rescue they were parachute flares . Hurricane MkIIs had them (one) too. They were used to signal an emergency (injured pilot for example) so ground crew (ambulance) could be ready, and also given priority landing. ...or so I read in a book. From what I have read, those two containers were food and a dinghy (for ASR Spits) Edit - note the Universal stores rack (that carried smoke canisters) under the port wing inboard of the radiator Edited August 8, 2023 by Pete Roberts Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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