The Spitfire Site

A Tribute to Britain's Finest Fighter

Browse by label

» (overview)

Archive of previous additions

» 2007-09
» 2007-10
» 2007-11
» 2007-12
» 2008-01
» 2008-02
» 2008-03
» 2008-04
» 2008-05
» 2008-06
» 2008-10

W/Cdr James "Stocky" Edwards and his Spitfire Mk. XVI

Saturday, November 10, 2007 | posted by Spitfire Site Editor | permalink

Click to enlarge image

One of the most famous Canadian Spitfire pilots, Wing Commander James "Stocky" Edwards DFC and bar DSO. "Stocky" commanded 127 Wing near the end of World War II and was credited with 19 confirmed victories.

The aircraft is his personal Spitfire Mk. XVI ser.no. TD147 coded with his initials JF-E. [Photo James Edwards coll., via Pat Murphy]

Labels: people, Spitfire Mk. XVI

6 Comments | Leave your comment

posted by Anonymous on 11-Nov-2007 12:37:00 | permalink: I wonder when that photograph was taken, maybe in the autumn of 1944? Later during the war in 1945 the JF E registration was painted on another famous aircraft: Pierre Clostermann's Tempest "Le Grand Charles".

Regards

Magnus
posted by Spitfire Site Editor on 12-Nov-2007 09:35:00 | permalink: Interesting, and I have also made the same reflection. The question is whether there was any requirement of personal W/Cdr markings to be unique within the RAF? It would seem logical, but maybe nobody bothered to check.
posted by Spitfire Site Editor on 12-Nov-2007 09:37:00 | permalink: BTW, we have now also a FW 190A with the same code letters... photo here.
posted by Pat Murphy on 13-Nov-2007 05:13:00 | permalink: The picture of W/C Stocky Edwards was taken in Germany in May 1944. He is aware of the markings on Clostermann's Tempest and explains that it was just coincidental
posted by Pat Murphy on 13-Nov-2007 05:14:00 | permalink: Sorry meant to say May, 1945
posted by Emilia on 22-Oct-2008 09:00:00 | permalink: Well written article.