And what country can preserve its liberties if their rulers are not warned from time to time that their people preserve the spirit of resistance? Let them take arms. The remedy is to set them right as to facts, pardon and pacify them. What signify a few lives lost in a century or two? The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants.
Spitfires. You can see a Vokes Sand Filter on the engine cowling of the first one. Notice the American markings on the third one in. My guess is Italy, judging from the camoflage , late '44 or early '45 in a scrapping/recycling yard. See the wing to the left, from some kind of Brit twin engine plane, and the huge hangers in the background. Nearing the end of the war many early Spitfires , were just worn out, hence the scrapping/salvage.
Brought to mind the movie "The Best Years of our Lives". If you have never seen it, do so soon! 1946 0r 47, about three men returning to the town they grew up in and the dealing with what we call PTSD. Some very poignant views about the reality of after the war.
The story concentrates on the social re-adjustment of three World War II servicemen, each from a different station of society.
Al Stephenson returns to an influential banking position, but finds it hard to reconcile his loyalties to ex-servicemen with new commercial realities.
Fred Derry is an ordinary working man who finds it difficult to hold down a job or pick up the threads of his marriage.
Having lost both hands in a demolition training accident during the war, Homer Parrish is unsure that his fiancée's feelings are still those of love and not pity.
Each of the veterans faces a crisis upon his arrival, and each crisis is a microcosm of the experiences of many American warriors who found an alien world awaiting them when they came marching home.
The writing on the nearest Spitfire says 351 M.U. The RAF had Maintenance Units on every front. Damaged aircraft were collected to be evaluated and then either rebuilt or used as a parts source. According to wiki No. 351 MU was in Hussein Dey, Algeria in 1942. Al_in_Ottawa
https://allspitfirepilots.org/aircraft/JG896 History: 38MU 24-12-42 e/f belly landed in field Llandwit Major CB 3-1-43 SqLdr IC Jackson safe. ros 38MU 26-2-43 52MU 18-6-43 'La Pampa' 2-7-43 Casablanca 14-7-43 Middle East to Armee de l'Air 14-3-46
Pilots: Name Date Rank Status Cholmondeley V M 1943‑11‑15 1/Off ok
Are those P-40's?
ReplyDeleteyep - looks like post-war salvage?
ReplyDeleteSpitfires.
ReplyDeleteYou can see a Vokes Sand Filter on the engine cowling of the first one. Notice the American markings on the third one in. My guess is Italy, judging from the camoflage , late '44 or early '45 in a scrapping/recycling yard. See the wing to the left, from some kind of Brit twin engine plane, and the huge hangers in the background. Nearing the end of the war many early Spitfires , were just worn out, hence the scrapping/salvage.
4th one in, not 3rd.
DeleteBrought to mind the movie "The Best Years of our Lives". If you have never seen it, do so soon! 1946 0r 47, about three men returning to the town they grew up in and the dealing with what we call PTSD. Some very poignant views about the reality of after the war.
ReplyDeleteThe story concentrates on the social re-adjustment of three World War II servicemen, each from a different station of society.
DeleteAl Stephenson returns to an influential banking position, but finds it hard to reconcile his loyalties to ex-servicemen with new commercial realities.
Fred Derry is an ordinary working man who finds it difficult to hold down a job or pick up the threads of his marriage.
Having lost both hands in a demolition training accident during the war, Homer Parrish is unsure that his fiancée's feelings are still those of love and not pity.
Each of the veterans faces a crisis upon his arrival, and each crisis is a microcosm of the experiences of many American warriors who found an alien world awaiting them when they came marching home.
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0036868/
The movie is featured on Amazon Prime Video
ReplyDeleteAnother poigniant ww2 movie: "12 O'Clock High"
ReplyDeleteThe writing on the nearest Spitfire says 351 M.U. The RAF had Maintenance Units on every front. Damaged aircraft were collected to be evaluated and then either rebuilt or used as a parts source. According to wiki No. 351 MU was in Hussein Dey, Algeria in 1942.
ReplyDeleteAl_in_Ottawa
Unserviceable Supermarine Spitfire fuselages lined up on trestles at No. 156 Maintenance Unit, Blida, Algeria. Maybe 1944.
ReplyDeletehttps://allspitfirepilots.org/aircraft/JG896
ReplyDeleteHistory:
38MU 24-12-42 e/f belly landed in field Llandwit Major CB 3-1-43 SqLdr IC Jackson safe. ros 38MU 26-2-43 52MU 18-6-43 'La Pampa' 2-7-43 Casablanca 14-7-43 Middle East to Armee de l'Air 14-3-46
Pilots:
Name Date Rank Status
Cholmondeley V M 1943‑11‑15 1/Off ok
https://allspitfirepilots.org/pilots/4211-victoria-cholmondeley