Hello everyone,

I’ve uncovered two copies of “Spitfire the ANZACs” signed by three pilots written about in the book and listed them on-line here. These signed books will be a worthy addition to any collection.

http://venturapublications.com/store/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=1_2

Flight Lieutenant Alan Peart,  NZ

The Squadron's worst and final day (at Broadway) was 17 March 1944. Six Spitfires flew in at dawn led by Squadron Leader W M ‘Babe’ Whitamore. Five were serviceable, one having been damaged on landing. As the dawn brightened the pilots were given breakfast as usual and waited near their aircraft for Broadway's small primitive radar set to warn of enemy aircraft approaching. A contact was made, estimated at four enemy fighters. Whitamore had to decide how many of his small force to scramble, knowing that these four could be the vanguard of a larger formation. He delayed as long as he dared and decided that just himself and Peart would intercept, leaving the others in reserve. The two were just at the point of takeoff – totally vulnerable – when four Ki43 ‘Oscars’ appeared overhead and made a strafing run at the Spitfires. Whitamore and Peart struggled for air speed.
“I remember Whitamore hauling his machine off the ground with emergency boost, I did the same, we had to do a crazy manoeuvre, a kind of stall turn off the ground to try and get in behind (the Ki43s) to stop their strafing run… I don't think we were very successful.”
The pair clawed for height as another force of about 24 Ki43s arrived over the horizon. Whitamore shot down one Ki43 before being shot down himself and killed. Peart was about 400 metres away to one side. He saw Whitamore’s aircraft hit but had his own problems! Peart was alone in the sky with 24 plus enemy fighters to deal with. He flew and fought just to survive for the next 40 minutes claiming one Ki43 destroyed.
“At the end of it I was so exhausted I was just looking for a place to crash-land, rather than let myself be shot down; there was nowhere else for me to go… I could hardly move I was so exhausted. Suddenly there weren’t any Jap fighters, they’d gone!”
Peart landed and found Broadway strewn with burning aircraft….”

Flight Lieutenant Lawrence Weggery,  NZ

On 8 November 1943, flying Spitfire Mk Vc MA349, coded ‘KW-D’ and named ‘Verna June’, Flying Officer Weggery and Flight Lieutenant Paul Louis shared in the destruction of a Mitsubishi Ki46 reconnaissance aircraft (Allied code name ‘Dinah’). This was the first ‘kill’ in a Spitfire over the India/Burma front. 
Two days later Sergeant Bill Hyde shot down a second one and on 17 November Flying Officer Kevin Gannon a third. At last the Allies had the upper hand against these capable Japanese reconnaissance aircraft.
“I think in the next two to three weeks the Japs lost something like four or five of their reconnaissance planes, not one got back.”
On 16 January 1944 Weggery and Louis repeated their success. This time Weggery flew MA292, also coded ‘KW-D’, and named ‘Verna June II’. Weggery and Louis were again detailed as that days instant reaction ‘Pink Section’ of two aircraft and were scrambled to 28,000 ft, then guided by radar to intercept a Ki46 at 29,000 ft. They took turns at making firing passes from the port and starboard rear quarter of the Ki46, four to five each. They caused one engine then the other to catch fire, eventually bringing the enemy aircraft crashing down in the jungle.
“All this time we were attacking, the Japs weren't just sitting around. They were very experienced pilots and they knew what they were doing. The ‘Dinah’ pilot was forced to take violent evasive action and used the sun with great skill, in an attempt to escape.”

Wing Commander Johnny Checketts,  NZ    

John Milne Checketts, a New Zealander, returned to Britain in November 1943 after being shot down and escaping from occupied France. By May 1944 he was back on operations as Wing Leader of 11 Group's 142 Wing, at Horne, a satellite field of Biggin Hill on the outskirts of London. 
The Wing was equipped with Spitfire Mk Vb's which had been upgraded to enhance their low level performance against the Luftwaffe's FW 190s. Their elliptical wings were ‘clipped’ to increase the roll rate, the supercharger impeller blades were ‘cropped’ to cope with increased blade tip speed resulting from an increase in manifold boost pressure and the pilots referred to them as ‘clapped’ because of their aircraft's age! The Spitfire LF Mk Vb was not completely phased out in Western Europe until the late summer of 1944, being still considered useful for low-altitude close bomber escort and ground strikes. However, from time-to-time the ‘Vb’ squadrons still found themselves tasked with high cover and top cover escort duties and therefore at a disadvantage if having to ‘mix it’ at high altitude with the FW 190 and Bf 109F & G.
Flying AB509 Checketts damaged a Bf 109 over the mouth of the Orne river on 8 June 1944. While flying another Mk V operated by his wing, he destroyed a Bf 109 on 1 August 1944. He also shot down V1 flying bombs on 16 June and 18 June flying Mk Vbs.

Yours,

Malcolm Laird, Ventura Publications