Quite a unique Spitfire from WWII

[dustin]

I rarely post stuff I get in emails but thought some of you may enjoy this story about a special modification to the British Spitfire fighter plane during WWII... (pics attached)

In the lighter moments of World War II, the Spitfire was used in an unorthodox role: bringing beer kegs to the men in Normandy.

During the war, the Heneger and Constable brewery donated free beer to the troops. After D-Day, supplying the invasion troops in Normandy with vital supplies was already a challenge. Obviously, there was no room in the logistics chain for such luxuries as beer or other types of refreshments. Some men, often called sourcers, were able to get wine or other niceties from the land or rather from the locals. RAF Spitfire pilots came up with an even better idea.

The Spitfire Mk IX was an evolved version of the Spitfire, with pylons under the wings for bombs or tanks. It was discovered that the bomb pylons could also be modified to carry beer kegs. According to pictures that can be found, various sizes of kegs were used. Whether the kegs could be jettisoned in case of emergency is unknown. If the Spitfire flew high enough, the cold air at altitude would even refresh the beer, making it ready for consumption upon arrival.

A variation of this was a long range fuel tank modified to carry beer instead of fuel. The modification even received the official designation Mod. XXX. Propaganda services were quick to pick up on this, which probably explains the official designation.

As a result, Spitfires equipped with Mod XXX or keg-carrying pylons were often sent back to Great-Britain for maintenance or liaison duties. They would then return to Normandy with full beer kegs fitted under the wings.

The Spitfire had very little ground clearance with the larger beer kegs.

Typically, the British Revenue of Ministry and Excise stepped in, notifying the brewery that they were in violation of the law by exporting beer without paying the relevant taxes. It seems that Mod. XXX was terminated then, but various squadrons found different ways to refurbish their stocks. Most often, this was done with the unofficial approval of higher echelons.

In his book Dancing in the Skies, Tony Jonsson, the only Icelancer pilot in the RAF, recalled beer runs while he was flying with 65 Squadron. Every week a pilot was sent back to the UK to fill some cleaned-up drop tanks with beer and return to the squadron. Jonsson hated the beer runs as every man on the squadron would be watching you upon arrival. Anyone who made a rough landing and dropped the tanks would be the most hated man on the squadron for an entire week.

 

[aps45819]

My Dad was an aircraft mechanic during the war. (He had been in flight school but got washed out when the Army discovered my Grandfather was in the German cavalry). He told me that while in North Africa, they would short the ammunition load in the fighters and fill the ammo trays with cans of beer.
The pilots would come back all pizzed that something was wrong with his guns and they'd unload the now ice cold beer and clear a trouble report

 

[Larry Gude]

Typically, the British Revenue of Ministry and Excise stepped in, notifying the brewery that they were in violation of the law by exporting beer without paying the relevant taxes. It seems that Mod. XXX was terminated then

Only government can think this way. The brewery was GIVING away beer. For the war effort.

 

[glhs837]

Is there anything aviation ordnance cant do

 

[huntr1]

Very cool.

 

[Larry Gude]

Is there anything aviation ordnance cant do

Yes. Avoid taxes.

 

[desertrat]

Yes. Avoid taxes.

True.

In the 80s pilots from the East coast visiting Miramar and Yuma would load up their "blivets" for the trip back with Coors since it was only available in the West.

Blivet is slang for the detachable aircraft storage container. If you had to look it up you may have found something entirely different.

 

[glhs837]

The P-3C had a cargo rack that can be loaded into the bomb bay racks. One squadron neglected to remove it after a weekend "pilot trainer" good deal trip. Next flight was a sub attack training flight. First rack released let go one side, then they closed the doors on it......next pass released a rack that didnt support the rack, closed the doors on it again.....

But it was quite common in the 80s to do "sleigh rides" taking 15-20 squadron folks from NAS Moffett in CA across country, dropping people off an bases near their homes. Ended up at NAS Brunswick, always tons of lobster coming back on those birds.