Barking Up the Wrong Creek

[H]

The original canoes of these parts (of native American design) were made from tree bark (birch), providing a fairly light construction. This sufficed for travelling on streams that had bad or unpassable areas, where one could pull the canoe from the water and carry it to the next usable access. Unfortunately, if one did not know the stream or the weather conditions/time of day adversely interacted, often if more than one canoe was in the same area, one might not think to pull away from their course of action... too late.
When responding to the "That was stupid.." topic, I was reminded of an incident -- don't ask me why -- that I have never properly researched and decided to check the web. My first link brought me to another forum discussing 1st and last air engagements from the official start of WW2, September 3, 1939. I've not registered with them to insert something they overlooked; I will ask you of the following solemn WW2 events:
1. What was the American naval plane used to shoot down an enemy bomber over Scapa Flow?
2. Who was the 1st British fighter pilot to lose his life in an engagement over British soil?
3. What was the 1st aircraft shot down by a Spitfire.
4. Which of the above events were concurrent?

8-)

[Ivan]

Smells like a blue-on-blue from miles away

[H]

Smells like a blue-on-blue from miles away

What does? First, forgive me: I messed up an important adjective set in #1, which I've now edited; in fact, should make the answering much simpler. Aside from the Spitfire, there were at least 4 types of planes involved plus one, more or less, indirectly involved; we rule out the misidentified British bombers returning from their mission (fired upon by their own AA batteries) and the enemy bomber mentioned was a German Ju.88. Ah, so much for Christmas.

8-)

[Hagar]

2. Who was the 1st British fighter pilot to lose his life in an engagement over British soil?
3. What was the 1st aircraft shot down by a Spitfire.
4. Which of the above events were concurrent?

You're obviously referring to the so-called Battle of Barking Creek. This took place on 6th September 1939, only 3 days after war had been declared on Germany. Two 56 Sqdn Hurricanes from RAF North Weald were mistaken for enemy aircraft & shot down by Spitfires from 74 Sqdn based at RAF Hornchurch. One of the Hurricane pilots (P/O Montague Hulton-Harrop) lost his life making him the first fighter pilot to be killed over Britain in WWII. The Hurricanes were the first victims of the Spitfire.

Unfortunately this was not an uncommon event during WWII.

[H]

2. Who was the 1st British fighter pilot to lose his life in an engagement over British soil?
3. What was the 1st aircraft shot down by a Spitfire.
4. Which of the above events were concurrent?

You're obviously referring to the so-called Battle of Barking Creek. Unfortunately this was not an uncommon event....

The two reserve Hurricanes from 56 Squadron, flown by 26 year-old Pilot Officer M. L. Hulton-Harrop and Pilot Officer F. C. Rose, were mistaken for Me109s. At the time Hurricanes were not yet fitted with armour plating, and Hulton-Harrop, hit in the head, was dead before his stricken aircraft crashed at Manor Farm, Hintlesham, Suffolk, west of Ipswich. Pilot Officer Rose, uninjured, was taken to the airfield at Martlesham Heath after crash landing. The attackers, Byrne and Freeborn, were placed under arrest when they returned to Hornchurch. They were acquitted after standing trial but Group Captain Lucking, CO of 56 Squadron, was removed from his post.
Now, what was the later event of #1 about, by Christmas! Something about an American manufactured plane that was employed, with variants, before and throughout WW2 (the other site's forum had totally missed this aircraft in their list).

8-)

[Hagar]

Now, what was the later event of #1 about, by Christmas! Something about an American manufactured plane that was employed, with variants, before and throughout WW2 (the other site's forum had totally missed this aircraft in their list).

1. What was the American naval plane used to shoot down an enemy bomber over Scapa Flow?

This one took some finding. The Hudson was not a naval aircraft & the action took place off Jutland. (Four ex-RAF Hudsons were used as transports by the Fleet Air Arm but the first of these was not delivered until June 1944.)

The first Hudsons were shipped to Liverpool in February of 1939. The Hudson Mk.I entered service with the No.224 Squadron of the RAF's Coastal Command at Gosport in the summer of 1939. By the time that war began in September of 1939, the Hudson Mk.I was also serving with No.233 Squadron, whereas Hudson Mk.IIIs were in the process of replacing the Avro Ansons that were serving with No.220 Squadron. The pilots of No.224 Squadron's Hudsons were the first RAF pilots to exchange shots with the Luftwaffe, which took place on the war's second day. On October 8, 1939, a 224 Squadron Hudson became the first aircraft of American design to destroy an enemy aircraft, when a Dornier Do 18D flying boat was destroyed off Jutland. Four months later, a Hudson Mk.III of No.220 squadron participated in helping to direct HMS Cossack in the boarding and seizing of the Kriegsmarine prison ship Altmark in Norwegian waters. http://home.att.net/~jbaugher4/a28_13.html

PS.

The Hudson is recollected in FAA (Fleet Air Arm) history for one well known crash, when Admiral Ramsay of WWII fame was killed. Aircraft AM 550 of 781X Flight crashed on take off on 2 January 1945 at its base at Tussus-le-Noble, killing the pilot Lt Cdr Sir GJE Lewis, PO DL Morgan and Admiral Ramsay, Cdr G Rowell and Lt D Henderson.

[H]

I thank you for that information -- you now know my surname; I believe the only airworthy Lockheed Hudson (should I dare name a son Lockheed? ) is in Australia and served with the RAAF 6th.

However, although I originally messed up my questioning when I jumbled them around for presentation, I corrected #1 prior to your answering:

Now, what was the later event of #1 about, by Christmas! Something about an American manufactured plane that was employed, with variants, before and throughout WW2 (the other site's forum had totally missed this aircraft in their list).

1. What was the American naval plane used to shoot down an enemy bomber over Scapa Flow?

This one took some finding. The Hudson was not a naval aircraft & the action took place off Jutland...

The other site listed planes that were in service throughout the war: 81 of these birds they left out, produced from mid 1939 until August of 1945, were ordered by France in April or May of 1939 but they wound up in your Fleet Air Arm in 1940; the first of their kind, I believe, to see active service. The first to see active service for the U.S. were at Pearl Harbor (for those who think that only the P40 was there) but with another name for which you shouldn't have to make too wild a stab at, unless the cat's got your tongue.

8-)

[Hagar]

The other site listed planes that were in service throughout the war: 81 of these birds they left out, produced from mid 1939 until August of 1945, were ordered by France in April or May of 1939 but they wound up in your Fleet Air Arm in 1940; the first of their kind, I believe, to see active service. The first to see active service for the U.S. were at Pearl Harbor (for those who think that only the P40 was there) but with another name for which you shouldn't have to make too wild a stab at, unless the cat's got your tongue.

Grumman G-36A Martlet I (F4F Wildcat). Some sources say 81 aircraft but the FAA Museum website says 91.* http://www.fleetairarm.com/exhibits/planes.asp?plane=159

*PS. This explains the discrepancy. 81 examples actually entered service.

The French variant was the Grumman "G-36A", to be fitted with the Wright R-1820-G205A Cyclone 9-cylinder single-row radial engine with 750 kW (1,000 HP), driving an uncuffed Hamilton Standard propeller. The G-36A was fitted with a shortened cowling, with an inlet in the upper lip but no flaps in the rear. It was to have fixed wings and six 7.5 millimeter Darne machine guns, with two in the nose cowling and two in each wings. The guns and other French kit, such as radio and gunsight, were to be installed after delivery. The French ordered 81 plus 10 complete sets of spares.

Trials of the French G-36A began on 11 May 1940, but France fell to the Nazis that month and the French never saw these machines. The British took over the order and the machines were delivered to the FAA beginning in late July 1940 under the designation of "Martlet Mark I". The ten spares sets were actually provided as finished aircraft; ten of the Martlet Is were lost when the freighter carrying them was torpedoed, and so the FAA received a total of 81. They were delivered with four 12.7 millimeter Browning guns in the wings.

http://www.vectorsite.net/avwcat.html

[H]

Finally -- after all that punning...

(The early U.S. texture scheme above is available in the CFS1 Aircraft Downloads)

8-)