KITS 05/2023

Spitfire Vb Trop, EP706, P/O George F. Beurling, No. 249 Squadron, RAF Ta Kali, Malta, August - October 1942

A brilliant pilot and sharpshooter but rather

mysterious personality, Canadian George

Frederick Beurling achieved unbelievable

successes during the fierce fighting for Malta

in 1942 where in the course of a half year he

scored 28 confirmed kills. Beurling’s Spitfire

EP706 arrived in Malta off the HMS Furious deck

on August 11, 1942 during the Operation Bellows.

The original desert camouflage was repainted at

the Malta Maintenance Command probably with

Deep Sky or Extra Dark Sea Grey color. According

to the period pictures, the wing upper surfaces

around the weapon wells were rather worn and

the original desert camouflage was showing

through. P/O “Screwball” Beurling had his kill

markings painted on the fuel tank cover of his

Spitfire flown regularly between August 20 and

October 9. He flew 27 combat missions with it and

scored four out of his total 28 kills achieved in

Malta.

Spitfire Vb, EP829, S/Ldr John J. Lynch, No. 249 Squadron, RAF Qrendi, Malta, February - May 1943

Spitfire EP829 was flown by S/Ldr Lynch from

February to May 1943 with No. 249 Squadron and

was part of the delivery during the Operation Train

which was the last Spitfire delivery to reinforce

Malta from the aircraft carriers. Spitfires were

finished in the standard Malta camouflage

scheme with the upper surfaces in Deep Sky and

Dark Slate Grey. EP829 initially flew with clipped

wings, later was operated with the full wingspan.

The squadron commander insignia and five kill

markings, achieved by April 25, 1943, were painted

on the fuselage fuel tank. Three days later, Lynch

shot down two Ju 52 and scored 1,000th victory

for the Malta defenders. To commemorate this

May 2023

anniversary kill he had painted “Malta’s 1000”

in white under the windshield. John Lynch was

born on February 3, 1918, in Alhambra, California.

In 1941 he joined RAF and in September 1941 he

completed his pilot training at No. 56 OTU. His

first assignment was at No. 232 Squadron. The

following month he joined the No. 121 “Eagle”

Squadron and No. 71 “Eagle” Squadron where, on

April 17, 1942, he shared a victory over a Ju 88.

In November 1942 he was transferred to Malta

and assigned to No. 249 Squadron with which he

flew combat in the area. In the beginning of 1943,

he was promoted to the squadron commander

and achieved many successes against the

Axis transportation aircraft which supplied the

German and Italian troops in Tunisia. In July

1943 he was ordered to the USAAF but did not fly

combat. He returned to the United States where

after the war end continued his service with the

USAF. In 1956 he became an operations officer

with the 49th Fighter-bomber Wing on Okinawa

but shortly after, on March 9 he was killed in the

aircraft crash in F-84G near Naha airport. During

his wartime career Lynch claimed in total 17 kills

(10 individual and 7 in cooperation), one probable

and two enemy aircraft damaged.

INFO Eduard

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