W.C. Watlings Mk1 Spitfire 92 Sqdn - Info. needed for model build

[Guest]

Hi all,

At the weekend I managed to get to Wings & Wheels airshow and stumbled across a militaria stand selling some really interesting and documented articles from WW2 aircraft.

I was lucky enough to pick up a section of the portside exhaust manifold which unlike a lot of crashed aircraft salvage is instantly recognisable as being a Spitfire exhaust. Really pleased with it.

It came with a certain amount of documentation telling the story of Pilot Officer W.C. Watling at the controls of Mk1 Spitfire P9372 (92 Sqd Biggin Hill), and how was shot down on 9th Sept 1940 but managed to bale out and survive but unfortunately like so many of these pilots he suffered severe burns to his face and hands. The Spitfire went down just outside of Rye, Sussex and apparently he landed just off the coast and was picked up safely.

Got some more info. here....... W.C.Watling

I also found out this Spitfire was flown by a South African Air Ace Paddy Green in the first engagement with the enemy for 92 Sqdn over Dunkirk and also saw some damage there too..... http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:HQqFYGk__gcJ:samilitaryhistory.org/vol017dt.html+92+Sqn+GR-G+P9372&cd=7&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=uk&client=firefox-a&source=www.google.co.uk

So really I've got 2 questions.

Firstly I'm trying to find as much as I can about Pilot Officer Watling, 92sqdn and the Spitfire,

& secondly where is the best place to go to find decals to replicate this aircraft at the time of the battle? I've found some in 1/72 but I'm looking to convert the Tamiya 1/48 Mk1 Spitfire kit I have.

I'd like to put together a display with the manifold, any info. and photos I can find of W.C. Watling and his Spitfire, and also a model showing his Spitfire at the time.

Atb, Colin

[stona]

It seems she had the code letter G so,with the squadron code you'd be looking for GR*G. I read somewhere that the wreck was recovered several years ago and is in private hands.

I've seen a model with one black and one white wing but I don't know what this is based on. I would expect the underside to be Sky by September 1940. They were allowed time for supplies of paint to arrive but two months? I don't think so.

I'll see if I've got any piccies of other 92 Sqn. Spitfires.

You can get 1/48 decal sheets with code letters and serials of the correct size if you don't fancy painting them. First stop would be Hannants.

Cheers

Steve

[Guest]

Thanks Steve,

Hannants was going to be my next stop as that's where I see the 1/72 sheet. Would the 1/48 sheets just be generic and you make up whatever you need? Sorry if this is a novice question but never been down this route before.

I see your other post Steve regarding colour schemes for Mk1 Spitfires of that era and I reckon your probably right saying the underside would probably be Sky.

If you have got any more photos of 92 Sqdn then I'd love to see them mate.

Funny you should say about being in private hands as the seller was actually selling a lot of the items for a friend of his from his private collection.

Cheers, Colin.

[Guest]

I've found this picture too from a book on aviation archaeology.........

Aviation archaeology in Britain - Google Books

Bit of a dark picture so not too sure of the portside under wing colour but does looks dark. But then again this picture was taken in Spring 1940 when it was manufactured.

[Ian M]

All the 92 squadron pictures I found for a mk I in 1940 had the code QJ*.

Ian M

[Guest]

All the 92 squadron pictures I found for a mk I in 1940 had the code QJ*.Ian M

Still trying to work that out myself but when I searched on Spitfifre Aircraft Production website it states that P9372 joined 92 Sqdn on 06/03/40 and was still there being flown by P.O. Watling at the time of it's demise on 09/09/40.

"P9372

Ia

555

EA

MIII

FF 22-2-40 9MU 1-3-40 92S 6-3-40 Damaged ops 24-5-40 Shot down by Bf109 and abandoned over Biggin Hill P/O Watling badly burned 9-9-40"

[stona]

The 1/48 sheets would be generic.

Ian,I'll double check the code as I took that from an online source. I've got the bible (Combat Codes) on the shelf!

Cheers

Steve

Edit 'Combat Codes' says they used GR from March 1940 to June 1941. Unfortunately J.R. Rawlings book 'Fighter Squadrons of the RAF' says they changed in June 1940. One of them has got the year wrong!

I'd go with 'Combat Codes' which is more recent and,coincidentally,dedicated to J.R.Rawlings.QJ coded Spitfires shown in BoB photos are attributed to 92 Sqn when they are more likely to be from 616 Sqn

[Guest]

Hi came across this thread, very suprising as I am William Watling's great-nephew! I have his 'Golden Caterpillar' badge that was presented to him by the Irving Air Chute for saving his life by using one of their parachutes, when he was shot down on 9th September 1940.

[Guest]

I guess that you have already searched the net, but here is the link for the Wikipedia on 92 Sqn which shows GR as the ID codes until May 1940 so bearing in mind he lost his life during the Battle of Britain, he would have been flying a QJ marked aircraft. The individual letter would probably remained the same, but a possible contact with the RAF Museum would be able to confirm that for you.

No. 92 Squadron RAF - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Andy

[Guest]

Hi came across this thread, very suprising as I am William Watling's great-nephew! I have his 'Golden Caterpillar' badge that was presented to him by the Irving Air Chute for saving his life by using one of their parachutes, when he was shot down on 9th September 1940.

Hi Gsyman,

Great to make contact with you. I wasn't expecting to find any relatives on here, I was just looking for any possible info. regarding the event. You must be proud of him.

Would you happen to have any details or photo's of the Spitfire and it's markings he was flying the day he was shot down on 9th Sept 1940, or perhaps photos of Pilot Officer Watling himself with the aircraft or in uniform.

As long as it's OK with you, any info. at all will be greatly appreciated as would love to find out as much as possible about the plane, the event that happened on 9th Sept, and William Watling himself at the time.

That's great you've still got the "Golden Caterpillar".

Would you like me to send you a photo of the Spitfires manifold I have? If so give me your email and I'll sort a few photos out.

Atb, Colin.

[Guest]

I guess that you have already searched the net, but here is the link for the Wikipedia on 92 Sqn which shows GR as the ID codes until May 1940 so bearing in mind he lost his life during the Battle of Britain, he would have been flying a QJ marked aircraft. The individual letter would probably remained the same, but a possible contact with the RAF Museum would be able to confirm that for you. No. 92 Squadron RAF - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Andy

Hi Andy,

Thanks for the info.

Yes I've done a bit of research and looked at Wikipedia like you say and still a bit confused as to when they changed their markings.

Steve has a couple of different books saying GR was used until June 1940 in one and June 1941 in the other.

Hopefully Gsyman might have some info. to throw some light on the correct markings.

Just to correct a point, Pilot Watling did'nt lose his life when shot down on 9th Sept 1940 (BoB), he was unfortunately injured but came back to flying again some 8 weeks later.

Sadly he lost his life in February 1941 in difficult weather conditions apparently during a weather check flight I believe.

Cheers, Colin.

[stona]

According to the BBMF Geoffrey Wellum was flying K9998 on September 11th 1940. It was coded QJ-K.

Now I am confused! The problem lies in interpreting photographs because the codes were used by more than one squadron at the same time.

I generally trust 'Combat Codes' but that info from the BBMF site does make me wonder. Nobody is correct all the time.

It might be worth posting a question over on Britmodeller. Include 'Spitfire' or 'BoB' in the thread title and a lot of people knowledgeable about the RAF will at least see it. If you prefer I can ask for you.

Cheers

Steve

[Guest]

According to the BBMF Geoffrey Wellum was flying K9998 on September 11th 1940. It was coded QJ-K.Now I am confused! The problem lies in interpreting photographs because the codes were used by more than one squadron at the same time.

I generally trust 'Combat Codes' but that info from the BBMF site does make me wonder. Nobody is correct all the time.

It might be worth posting a question over on Britmodeller. Include 'Spitfire' or 'BoB' in the thread title and a lot of people knowledgeable about the RAF will at least see it. If you prefer I can ask for you.

Cheers

Steve

Hi Steve,

Really would appreciate if you could ask Britmodeller, I'm not on that forum yet.

I was thinking of popping along to RAF Hendon to see if I could find any info. there. It's only 20 mins away for me. Would they keep archive records of the likes of 92 Sqdn and individual aircraft? Do they have a dedicated dept?

Cheers, Colin.

[stona]

I'm not sure what they keep at Hendon. Most records would be at the PRO at Kew as far as I'm aware but I'm no expert.

I've posed your question over on Britmodeller,hopefully someone will have a definitive answer for us!

Cheers

Steve

[stona]

Well I'd say it has to be QJ. Here is a link to the Britmodeller thread. The replies are from people whose opinion I would respect,definitely not conjecture.

92 squadron code Sept 1940 - Britmodeller.com

Cheers

Steve