Griffon Spitfire AcesModified for low-level operations to counter Luftwaffe attacks on the south coast, the Griffon-powered Spitfire XIV became the best low-level fighter of World War II. Squadrons moved to south-eastern England to counter the V1 flying bomb offensive, where daring pilots pioneered the technique of tipping the V1 over with the aircraft's wingtip to disorientate the bomb. Andrew Thomas also investigates the role played by the modified Spitfire squadrons after the V1 offensive, both in the attack on Germany and after the war in Malaya and Palestine. First-hand stories, photographs and colour profiles complete this account of the aces who flew the most powerful Spitfire variant ever built. |
Contents
| 6 | |
DEFENDING THE REALM | 10 |
TO THE RHINE | 29 |
COLOUR PLATES | 33 |
NEMESIS OF THE LUFTWAFFE | 50 |
THE LAST RITES | 66 |
A KIND OF PEACE | 76 |
APPENDICES | 86 |
COLOUR PLATES COMMENTARY | 91 |
| 95 | |
| 96 | |
| 98 | |
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Common terms and phrases
2nd TAF ace Flt Lt ace Sqn Ldr acedom airfield April armed reconnaissance attack bailed Belgian bomber C H Thomas Canadian chased cockpit Combat Report command crashed damaged days later dead astern destruction dived Diver Dutch enemy aircraft engine escort fighter flak flew flown Flt Lt Bill Flt Lt Tony Flt Sgt flying bomb forces Frank Woolley fuselage Geoff Lord German Gray Griffon Spitfire Griffon-engined Spitfire gyro gunsight Hawkinge John Draper John Shepherd Keefer killed Ldr John Shepherd Lt Bill Stowe Lt Tony Gaze Luftwaffe Lympne Maridor mission Mk XIV opened fire operations patrol Peter Cowell RCAF saw strikes Schwerin shared victories shot sorties Spitfire pilots Spitfire XIV spotted Sqn Ldr John Sqn's Sqn's Flt Lt starboard successful pilots sweep Terry Spencer Tony Gaze turn V1 ace V1 flying bomb V1 UK Watkins Wg Cdr whilst yards