From warship to Spitfire

Text: Jan Bobek and Michal Krechowski

Illustration: Piotr Forkasiewicz

Cat. No. 84200

Among the unusual units that took part in the Normandy landings were the squadrons of No. 34 Tactical Reconnaissance Wing. Prior to D-Day, ten squadrons - five from the RAF, four from the Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm (FAA), and one from the American VCS-7 - were assembled at the Royal Naval Air Station (RNAS) Lee-on-Solent to provide aerial observation for the naval bombardment in the Utah and Omaha beach sectors, and later in the Cherbourg area. Two RAF squadrons (Nos. 26 and 63) were equipped with Spitfires, while the other three  (Nos. 2, 268, and 414) flew Mustangs. The FAA squadrons (Nos. 808, 897, 885, and 886) used Naval Seafire IIIs. This group of units, including VCS-7, was also known as the The Air Spotting Pool.

VCS-7 was formed in February 1944. It consisted of 17 pilots from the cruisers USS Quincy (CA-39), USS Tuscaloosa (CA-37), USS Augusta (CA-31), and the battleships USS Nevada (BB-36), USS Arkansas (BB-33), and USS Texas (BB-35). After unpleasant experiences with German fighters during the Sicily landings in the summer of 1943, they traded their Seagulls and Kingfishers for Spitfires Mk.V. They were retrained by the USAAF's 67th TRG photo reconnaissance unit at Middle Wallop, Hampshire.

The unit was initially commanded by Lt. Robert W. Calland (USS Nevada) and, from May 28, 1944, by Lt. Cdr. William Denton Jr. (USS Quincy). Observation missions were always flown by a pair of aircraft: the lead pilot acted as the observer, while the other provided escort and protected the leader from enemy attacks. The standard altitude for these missions was 1,800 meters, but bad weather often forced pilots to operate between 450 and 600 meters. Occasionally, missions were flown at even lower altitudes.

From 6 June to 26 June, VCS-7 conducted a total of 209 sorties over Normandy, mainly as part of the Western Naval Task Force, which was under the control of the U.S. Navy. VCS-7 lost nine Spitfires to various causes, with flak being the greatest danger. The squadron´s planes were attacked by Luftwaffe aircraft just four times. A member of this unit, Ens. Robert J. Adams, became the first American aviator to land in liberated French territory, albeit due to damage to his aircraft.

The unit's only casualty was Lt. Richard M. Barclay of the cruiser USS Tuscaloosa. On D-Day, the cruiser’s mission was to support the invasion force on Utah Beach. Barclay went into action in place of his subordinate, with Lt. (jg) Charles S. Zinn, also from the USS Tuscaloosa, as his wingman. Unfortunately, they were hit by flak during the flight. Barclay was killed, but Zinn managed to return to base with a damaged right wing and a damaged aileron.

VCS-7's last combat mission took place on 25 June in the Cherbourg area, and the unit was disbanded the following day. During the twenty days of combat deployment, its members received nine DFCs, six Air Medals and five Gold Stars. Ten members of the unit participated in the August 1944 landings in southern France, and three took part in the landings on Iwo Jima and Okinawa.

However, the only aerial victory with a VCS-7 Spitfire was not achieved by an American pilot, but by a British member of No. 897 Squadron FAA, Slt. D. W. Barraclough, who shot down a Messerschmitt Bf 109 on June 7th. This dogfight is captured by Piotr Forkasiewicz on the box art. Another Bf 109 was credited to Lt. R. M. Crosley in a Seafire III from No. 886 Squadron FAA. However, five other Seafire IIIs from the The Air Spotting Pool were shot down or damaged by German and Allied flak or German fighters during the day, with one pilot falling into captivity. To make it short, flying artillery spotting missions over Normandy was a very risky task.