Spitfire for Hire Display - Fylde Lytham St. Annes Spitfire Memorial Fund W3644

Spitfire BS435 – F-FY

611 Squadron RAF - West Lancashire

The aircraft on display is a Supermarine Spitfire Mark IX “c” wing. The “c” wing could carry either four
20mm cannon or two 20mm cannon and two 0.5in Browning machine guns. This time the cannon took
the outer position and the machine guns the inner. This was partly because it gave more room for machine gun ammunition and partly because the bombs were carried below the inner gun positions, and there had been some problems reported when both cannon and bombs were on the same part of the wing.The “c” wing appeared in the second half of 1944.

The Spitfire is a replica and was originally commissioned by the 610 Squadron Association. During her time with 610 she carried the markings DW-D and was stationed in Hangar 3 at Hooton Park, the original Liverpool Airport. She was purchased by the Fylde Spitfire Memorial Fund in 2009 and following a full refurbishment was painted with 611 RAF West Lancashire Squadron markings.

In 1939 the Squadron went for summer camp to Duxford in Cambridgeshire never to return to Speke as it was called up for war duty. 611 excelled in cover of the UK whilst France fell to the Nazis, patrolled high above the Dunkirk beaches during the evacuation, played an active part in the Battle of Britain, took a very active part in the ill-fated Dieppe raid, covered the Normandy landings, escorted bomber intrusions over occupied France and later, with Mustangs, was able to provide long range bomber cover for both RAF and USAAF raids deep into Europe.

This display is helping to raise funds for a new RAF Memorial, featuring a full size replica of the Lytham St. Annes Mark Vb Spitfire W3644. The memorial will be built to mark the 70th anniversary of the Battle of Britain whilst at the same time remembering the brave men and women of Fighter and Bomber Command whom were recruited from or served on the Fylde Coast during WW2.

Donations will go towards the memorial fund and the further improvement of our mobile display. If you, or a member of your family was born on the Fylde Coast and served in Fighter or Bomber command during WW2 then we would like to hear from you. Thank you.

Hugo Armstrong (Nicknamed "Sinker")

Hugo Armstrong was credited with 12 kills during WW2, all of them whilst flying Spitfire's and all with R.A.F. squadrons. Of those, the last 3 were while flying Spitfire Mk IX's with No 611 Squadron at Biggin Hill.

He was commissioned as a Pilot Officer in early part of 1941. He then served with 129 and 72 Squadron's until July 1942 when he was then posted as O.C. 611 Sqn. In the meantime his tally had reached 9 kills. The first occurring on the 21st September 1941 when he shot down a Bf 109E over Le Torquet whilst escorting Blenheims in a 129 Sqn Mk VB. The move to 611 Squadron gave him the opportunity to fly the Spitfire Mk 1X and all of the other 3 victories using this mark plus a further 2 probables, were scored in his aircraft BS435 / FY-F.

Hugo Armstrong The first of these were scored on the 2nd November 1942 when he claimed a FW 190 destroyed and a Bf 109E was noted as a probable. He claimed another FW 190 probable on the 9th November over Calais. 2 further kills followed on the 20th January 1943, this time a pair of Bf 109F's south of Pevensey Bay. These aircraft had been part of a raid on Biggin Hill.

During this battle the squadron shot down a total of 6 aircraft. Whilst serving with 72 squadron during April 1942 the Spitfire he was flying (BM384) developed engine problems and he was forced to crash land at Gravesend, the aircraft suffered a Cat B damage - repaired and returned to service and "Sinker" was injured.