Reading through my very limited and basic collection of military equipment I have come across a few references to British aircraft in service with US forces. Which aircraft were used? Which service used them? What were they used for? I have seen photos of Spitfires and Mosquitos with USAAF markings, but I was wondering as to the reasoning of their purchase!
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British Aircraft in US service in WWII
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Originally posted by Rimsey View PostReading through my very limited and basic collection of military equipment I have come across a few references to British aircraft in service with US forces. Which aircraft were used? Which service used them? What were they used for? I have seen photos of Spitfires and Mosquitos with USAAF markings, but I was wondering as to the reasoning of their purchase!
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Originally posted by Rimsey View PostReading through my very limited and basic collection of military equipment I have come across a few references to British aircraft in service with US forces. Which aircraft were used? Which service used them? What were they used for? I have seen photos of Spitfires and Mosquitos with USAAF markings, but I was wondering as to the reasoning of their purchase!
Beaufighter
Mosquito
Meteor
Lysander"Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other." - John Adams
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Originally posted by Rimsey View PostReading through my very limited and basic collection of military equipment I have come across a few references to British aircraft in service with US forces. Which aircraft were used? Which service used them? What were they used for? I have seen photos of Spitfires and Mosquitos with USAAF markings, but I was wondering as to the reasoning of their purchase!
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The USA and GB freely shared much technology, tending to limit the information exchange only when dealing with cryptology and a few other cases, like the Manhattan Project. Engines like the Merlin, and the early British jet engines, were shared by GB, and submarine warfare and radar technology went both ways. I'm suspecting British aircraft in USAAF markings were both technology demonstrators and also special purpose, mission-oriented aircraft like the Mosquito and the Lysander.
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Originally posted by Chogy View PostThe USA and GB freely shared much technology, tending to limit the information exchange only when dealing with cryptology and a few other cases, like the Manhattan Project. Engines like the Merlin, and the early British jet engines, were shared by GB, and submarine warfare and radar technology went both ways. I'm suspecting British aircraft in USAAF markings were both technology demonstrators and also special purpose, mission-oriented aircraft like the Mosquito and the Lysander.
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It may have been a "Joint Project" but the British had very limited access. And no access to actual weapon manufacturing work. They worked on enrichment and refinement
The Canadian involvement was production of heavy water and ore.
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US Navy squadron VCS-7 flew out of RNAS Lee-on-Solent during the Normandy invasion. Technically assigned with Spitfire Vb's on loan from the RAF. The naval gunfire spotting squadron operated with 808, 885, 886 and 897 squadrons of the FAA; these were equipped with Seafire IIIs. The five squadrons pooled aircraft for maximum availability, so the USN flyers flew whatever was available at mission time, Spitfire or Seafire. The Vb's loaned to VCS-7 retained their RAF markings, they were not in USN livery.
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I believe it was the 52th FG that used Spitfires when they deployed to Britain in 42 and were waiting for delivery of their P-39s. They realized that the P-39 was inadequate and stayed in Spitfires until 1944. Then they changed to Mustangs
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