Chugalug (#6683),
Regarding "Jack H",
Your:
"I seem to remember that he was later on Spitfires, flying over Burma".
and
Brian 48nav,
Your:
"He also flew the Vengeance over Burma" (all VVs over
Burma in WWII would be operational).
This is a bit of a puzzle. As far as I recall, the first RAF Spitfires came out to India in late '43. I thought they were Mk.VIIIs, but someone on this Thread corrected me a long time ago, saying that they were tropicalised Mk.Vs. No matter, they ended the dominance of the Oscars. From mid '44, some of the IAF Vengeance Sqdns (including my No.8) converted to Mk.XIVs, but I do not think the RAF operated any of that Mark out there in the war. Will have a trawl in BHARAT RAKSHAK when I have the time.
AFAIK, that would be the only way a VV-Spitfire change could be managed, but I thought the IAF got rid of all the old British VV pilots (who would all be officers in any case) before they got their Mk.XIVs. My old friend, Niel Ker (sadly RIP) stayed with them on the XIVs, but he was IAF then. Spitfire-VV transition was easy, many of the '42/'43 intake out there had done Spitfire OTUs (as I had).
If someone likes to PM me with your chap's full name, I'll have a look in my P.C. Smith's "
Vengeance" and cudgel my memory to see if anything turns up.
Meanwhile, you might like to have have a look at:
"Aviation History and Nostalgia">"Spitfire Mk.I (Type 300)" [whatever
that may mean] for a 5 min You Tube of chap hugely enjoying himself in one. As possibly the last man alive who trained (75 hrs) on
that Mark in WWII, will put in my comments on it there soon.
Danny.