Wednesday 20th July, 2022 - FLYPAST TIMINGS UPDATE
Typhoon Flypast 0930 am approx from South to North
The Red Arrows 1058 am from South to North
BBMF Hurricane & Spitfire 1405pm approx North to South
Suggested best viewed at Victoria Park, Arbroath
This is NOT an airshow nor an event, there are no facilities laid on - It is just notification that these aircraft are flying past In Tribute to the Town of Arbroath who raise money 80 years ago to buy The Red Lichtie Spitfire.
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"RED LICHTIE" ARBROATH'S SPITFIRE |
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Did you know that there is a replica 'Red Lichtie' Spitfire on display at
www.rafmontrose.org.uk
Click above for details of how to visit
www.rafmontrose.org.uk
Click above for details of how to visit
ARBROATH'S SPITFIRE
READ ON FOR THE STORY OF THIS REMARKABLE ACHIEVEMENT BY THE PEOPLE OF ARBROATH!
As part of the “Wings for Victory” fund-raising campaign, a Spitfire fund was set up in the Scottish burgh of Arbroath in August 1940. One of the first fund-raising events in the town was a concert starring Sir Harry Lauder, a Scottish entertainer, known internationally and described by Sir Winston Churchill as “Scotland’s greatest ever ambassador”. Other events included a concert by a male voice choir from the Polish Army, a boxing tournament at Gayfield and a dance organised by the burgh police.
By March 1942, the £5,000 needed for a Spitfire was raised and donated to the government to pay for a Spitfire. EP121, a Spitfire Mk Vb, fitted with a Merlin 46, 1415 hp engine, was built by Vickers Armstrong at Castle Bromwich. It received the name “Red Lichtie”, the local nickname for someone who comes from Arbroath. Originally, the “Red Lichtie” or “Red Light” was the flame which burned from the “Round O” of the ruins of Arbroath Abbey and was used to guide fishing boats back from the North Sea to the harbour.
The aircraft was taken on charge by No. 37 Maintenance Unit (MU) at Burtonwood on 24 May, 1942. RAF Burtonwood was a servicing and storage centre used for modifications, servicing and storage of British aircraft. Six days later, on 30 May, the aircraft was allocated to No. 501 (County of Gloucester) Squadron. Flying from Ibsley, Hampshire, EP121 was engaged on convoy patrols, flying “Rhubarb” (small scale fighter-bomber attacks on ground targets of opportunity) and “Roadstead” (dive bombing attacks, or low level attacks on ships at sea or in a harbour by fighters or bombers escorted by fighter aircraft) operations. It was involved in a flying accident on 24 July when Sergeant W.N. Strang landed on the wrong runway and the port wheel collapsed. At first, it was thought the aircraft could be repaired on site, but upon examination by the Civil Repair Organisation on 29 July, 1942, the damage was classed as “Category B”, which meant that EP121 had to be transported to the Westland factory in Illchester for repairs. It arrived there on 1 August and was ready for collection from the factory on 19 September. Six days later it was delivered to No. 39 MU at Colerne, Wiltshire and then went to Phillips & Powis at South Marston, Swindon, on 10 October for fuel system modifications. It was delivered to No. 38 MU at Llandow, in the Vale of Glamorgan, on 23 November.
On 29 December, 1942, the Red Lichtie Spitfire joined No. 131 (County of Kent) Squadron at Westhampnett, West Sussex to fly sweeps, “Circus” and “Rhubarb” operations. “Circus” was the code name for fighter-escorted bomber attacks against short range or “fringe” targets in order to bring German fighters to battle.
On 20 January, 1943, No. 610 (County of Chester) Squadron moved in from Castletown to continue with the offensive, taking over EP121, now coded DW-B.
On 13 February, the commanding officer, Squadron Leader J.E. Johnson, flying this aircraft, probably destroyed a German FW190 fighter southwest of Boulogne.
On 7 March 1943 the aircraft joined No. 602 (City of Glasgow) Squadron at Perranporth, Cornwall and was engaged mainly on shipping patrols. On 18 April the “Red Lichtie” suffered “Category Ac” damage when the radiator shield was torn away during a high-speed dive. The repair was beyond the unit’s capabilities, but it could be repaired on site by another unit or contractor. It is likely that the aircraft was allocated to No. 412 (RCAF) Squadron on 19 April, whilst still in a damaged condition. It remained with this Canadian squadron and after repairs were complete it returned to flying duties from Perranporth. On 10 June, EP121 was transferred to No. 416 (RCAF) Squadron at Digby, Lincolnshire. It was here on 29 June 1943 whilst on approach to the airfield, that EP121’s engine cut out and the aircraft stalled and spun into the ground, injuring the Canadian pilot Sergeant W.H.Palmer. The aircraft was declared as having “Category E” damage and was subsequently written-off and scrapped.
As part of the “Wings for Victory” fund-raising campaign, a Spitfire fund was set up in the Scottish burgh of Arbroath in August 1940. One of the first fund-raising events in the town was a concert starring Sir Harry Lauder, a Scottish entertainer, known internationally and described by Sir Winston Churchill as “Scotland’s greatest ever ambassador”. Other events included a concert by a male voice choir from the Polish Army, a boxing tournament at Gayfield and a dance organised by the burgh police.
By March 1942, the £5,000 needed for a Spitfire was raised and donated to the government to pay for a Spitfire. EP121, a Spitfire Mk Vb, fitted with a Merlin 46, 1415 hp engine, was built by Vickers Armstrong at Castle Bromwich. It received the name “Red Lichtie”, the local nickname for someone who comes from Arbroath. Originally, the “Red Lichtie” or “Red Light” was the flame which burned from the “Round O” of the ruins of Arbroath Abbey and was used to guide fishing boats back from the North Sea to the harbour.
The aircraft was taken on charge by No. 37 Maintenance Unit (MU) at Burtonwood on 24 May, 1942. RAF Burtonwood was a servicing and storage centre used for modifications, servicing and storage of British aircraft. Six days later, on 30 May, the aircraft was allocated to No. 501 (County of Gloucester) Squadron. Flying from Ibsley, Hampshire, EP121 was engaged on convoy patrols, flying “Rhubarb” (small scale fighter-bomber attacks on ground targets of opportunity) and “Roadstead” (dive bombing attacks, or low level attacks on ships at sea or in a harbour by fighters or bombers escorted by fighter aircraft) operations. It was involved in a flying accident on 24 July when Sergeant W.N. Strang landed on the wrong runway and the port wheel collapsed. At first, it was thought the aircraft could be repaired on site, but upon examination by the Civil Repair Organisation on 29 July, 1942, the damage was classed as “Category B”, which meant that EP121 had to be transported to the Westland factory in Illchester for repairs. It arrived there on 1 August and was ready for collection from the factory on 19 September. Six days later it was delivered to No. 39 MU at Colerne, Wiltshire and then went to Phillips & Powis at South Marston, Swindon, on 10 October for fuel system modifications. It was delivered to No. 38 MU at Llandow, in the Vale of Glamorgan, on 23 November.
On 29 December, 1942, the Red Lichtie Spitfire joined No. 131 (County of Kent) Squadron at Westhampnett, West Sussex to fly sweeps, “Circus” and “Rhubarb” operations. “Circus” was the code name for fighter-escorted bomber attacks against short range or “fringe” targets in order to bring German fighters to battle.
On 20 January, 1943, No. 610 (County of Chester) Squadron moved in from Castletown to continue with the offensive, taking over EP121, now coded DW-B.
On 13 February, the commanding officer, Squadron Leader J.E. Johnson, flying this aircraft, probably destroyed a German FW190 fighter southwest of Boulogne.
On 7 March 1943 the aircraft joined No. 602 (City of Glasgow) Squadron at Perranporth, Cornwall and was engaged mainly on shipping patrols. On 18 April the “Red Lichtie” suffered “Category Ac” damage when the radiator shield was torn away during a high-speed dive. The repair was beyond the unit’s capabilities, but it could be repaired on site by another unit or contractor. It is likely that the aircraft was allocated to No. 412 (RCAF) Squadron on 19 April, whilst still in a damaged condition. It remained with this Canadian squadron and after repairs were complete it returned to flying duties from Perranporth. On 10 June, EP121 was transferred to No. 416 (RCAF) Squadron at Digby, Lincolnshire. It was here on 29 June 1943 whilst on approach to the airfield, that EP121’s engine cut out and the aircraft stalled and spun into the ground, injuring the Canadian pilot Sergeant W.H.Palmer. The aircraft was declared as having “Category E” damage and was subsequently written-off and scrapped.
Sgt W H Palmer RCAF - Service number J19648
Sgt W H Palmer RCAF ~
After crashing the Arbroath Spitfire he went on to have at least 2 Kills, a FW-190 on 29 Sep 44 & another aircraft before on 22 May 44
Sources used and
GRATEFUL THANKS to:
Berry Vissers, Squadron Prints Ltd
The CREAGH Family
Mr Alan Palmer and family, Canada
(Family of the late William H. Palmer RCAF)
Alan Carlaw
Councillor Donald Morrison
Captain Fred Paradie, Royal Canadian Air Force
Research Department, RAF Museum Hendon
RAF Club
A.M. Form 78 (official aircraft movement card)
The Family of the late Johnnie Johnson
Michael Lewis, 610 (County of Chester) Squadron Association
Sgt W H Palmer Photo from www.flyingforyourlife.com/pilots/ww2/p
Gifts of War, Henry Boot & Ray Sturtivant (ISBN 0 85130 248 3)
Spitfire, the History by Eric B Morgan and Edward Shacklady (ISBN 0 946219 10 9)
Fighter Squadrons of the RAF and their aircraft by John Rawlings (ISBN 0 354 01028 X)
Bomber Squadrons of the RAF and their aircraft by Philip Moyes (ISBN 354 01027 1)
RAF Squadrons by WgCdr C G Jefford (ISBN1 85310 053 6)
Glasgow’s Own, 602 (City of Glasgow) Squadron by Dugald Cameron (ISBN 0 9512656 0 1)
Various web sites including www.spitfires.ukf.net and Google Maps.
http://www.fightercontrol.co.uk/forum/
www.keypublishing.com
http://www.airshows.co.uk/
The CREAGH Family
Mr Alan Palmer and family, Canada
(Family of the late William H. Palmer RCAF)
Alan Carlaw
Councillor Donald Morrison
Captain Fred Paradie, Royal Canadian Air Force
Research Department, RAF Museum Hendon
RAF Club
A.M. Form 78 (official aircraft movement card)
The Family of the late Johnnie Johnson
Michael Lewis, 610 (County of Chester) Squadron Association
Sgt W H Palmer Photo from www.flyingforyourlife.com/pilots/ww2/p
Gifts of War, Henry Boot & Ray Sturtivant (ISBN 0 85130 248 3)
Spitfire, the History by Eric B Morgan and Edward Shacklady (ISBN 0 946219 10 9)
Fighter Squadrons of the RAF and their aircraft by John Rawlings (ISBN 0 354 01028 X)
Bomber Squadrons of the RAF and their aircraft by Philip Moyes (ISBN 354 01027 1)
RAF Squadrons by WgCdr C G Jefford (ISBN1 85310 053 6)
Glasgow’s Own, 602 (City of Glasgow) Squadron by Dugald Cameron (ISBN 0 9512656 0 1)
Various web sites including www.spitfires.ukf.net and Google Maps.
http://www.fightercontrol.co.uk/forum/
www.keypublishing.com
http://www.airshows.co.uk/
