On 13 January 1943 Spitfire Vb BL240 Coded MD-L 336th FS, 4th FG piloted by Lt. Bishop made a safe forced landing at RAF Manston on the south-east coast. Cat Ac damage (repair is beyond the unit capacity, but can be repaired on site by another unit or a contractor) was repaired on site.
On 12th March 1943 the aircraft, piloted by 1st Lt Hazen S. Anderson, was despatched with 40 other aircraft from 4th FG to perform a fighter sweep in front of a formation of B-17s attacking the railroad marshalling yards at Rouen/Sotteville, France. The aircraft was attacked by German fighters near St. Omer, France and pilot was forced to abandon the aircraft and was captured as a Prisoner of War. (POW). No MACR (Missing Air Crew Report) was issued for this loss.
Photo: Spitfire Vb BL240 MD-L of the 336th FS, 4th FG (ex 133 Sqn, RAF), 8th AF, pilot Major Carl H 'Spike' Miley. Photo from American Air Museum in Britain, under Creative Commons licence.
