History[]
Accepted by the Luftwaffe on March 15 1943, This aircraft was flown by 9/ZG1[N 2] as 2N+HT. One of 15 examples left on Sicily when Allied forces took over the island in July 1943, 10263 was discovered on Gerbini in late August, by pilots and ground crew from the Spitfire V equipped 601 Squadron, who decided to restore the aircraft to flying status.
After recieving RAF markings, the aircraft was flown several times by pilots from 601, before the aircraft was passed to the USAAF's B-25 Mitchell equipped 12th Bomber Group. On October 1st, the 12th BG's Executive Officer, Lt Col G E Hall attempted a test flight, only for one engine to run away, pulling the aircraft off the runway and towards the personnel accomodation area. After firing the nose cannon as a warning, Lt Col Hall was killed when the aircraft crashed, destroying the forward half of 10263.[3]
Notes[]
- ↑ Wings Palette describes this aircraft as a Messerschmitt Me 410A,[1] while the 601 Squadron entry in Alan Lake's book Flying Units of the RAF lists it as a Messerschmitt Bf 110A![2]
- ↑ Wings Palette incorrectly states this aircraft was formerly flown by ZG 76.[1]
Sources[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 http://wp.scn.ru/en/forum/in_focus/232-9-1#disqus_thread
- ↑ Lake, Alan. Flying Units of the RAF. Airlife Publishing. 1999. ISBN 1-84037-086-6
- ↑ Fly Past April 2017 - Page 75