KITS 11/2021

W3257, F/Lt Eric S. Lock, No. 611 Squadron, RAF Hornchurch, Great Britain, July 1941

The most successful pilot of the Battle of Britain, Eric Stanley Lock, sortied for the first time with his Spitfire W3257 on July 14,

1941. He baptized his new airplane by fire by shooting down a Bf-109F, which was also his very last kill. Barely three weeks later,

on August 3, returning from a Rhubarb mission, he attacked a German column near Pas de Calais and has been missing ever

since. It’s supposed he was shot down by AA fire and crashed into the sea. Neither his Spitfire Mk.V W3257 nor Lock himself

have ever been found. At the time of his disappearance his score stood at 26 kills achieved during 25 weeks of the operational

deployment in the course of one year out of which he spent six months in the hospitals. Spitfire Mk.Vb W3257 was camouflaged

in the standard Dark Green/Dark Earth/Sky. Code letters E-FY were painted in Sky which was a standard code letters color of

the Hornchurch Wing Spitfires. A serial was overpainted in the camouflage color.

W3320, P/O Donald E. Kingaby, No. 92 squadron, RAF Biggin Hill, Great Britain, August 1941

Donald Ernest „Don“ Kingaby flew with No. 92 Squadron from September 1940 till the end of 1940 scoring 8 kills. From July 20,

1941 till October 16, 1941, when Kingaby completed his tour of duty with No. 92 Squadron, at the controls of W3320 he flew 33

missions, scored three confirmed Bf109F kills, another three as probables and damaged one. He returned to the combat flying

in March 1942 with No. 111 Squadron at Debden and continued with his military career reaching the rank of Wing Commander

leading the Hornchurch Wing. Later he served at Fighter Command Headquarters and finished the war as a commander of

Advanced Gunnery School in Catfoss. His total score was 23 kills. To purchase the Spitfire Mk.Vb W3320 „The Darlington Spitfire“

citizens of Darlington, in Durham county, northeastern England, contributed 5,082 GBP. After August 15, 1941, W3320 upper, Dark

Earth surfaces were repainted in Mixed Grey, Medium Sea Grey on the lower surfaces.

INFO Eduard - November 2021

eduard

39