RAF No 249 (Gold Coast) Squadron

RAF No 249 (Gold Coast) Squadron Spitfire photographs

Aircrew RAF 249Sqn John Lynch was credited with Maltas 1000 aerial victory IWM CM5096

Aircrew RAF 249Sqn pilots between sorties at Grottaglie Italy IWM CNA2350

Airworthy Spitfire warbird MkVc Trop 249Sqn TB Jack Hughes JK879 01

Artwork showing a map of Takoradi Ghana 0A

RAF Hal Far airfield Malta IWM MOWH181

Spitfire MkVb RAF 249Sqn TH Qrendi Malta Dec 1942 01

Spitfire MkVb RAF 249Sqn TJ TK n TU at Ta Kali Malta IWM HU72341

Spitfire MkVb RAF 249Sqn TM at Krendi Malta IWM HU72343

Spitfire MkVbTrop RAF 249Sqn GNH Robert McNair AB264 Malta 1942 Airfix Model World 45 2014 08 Page 050

Spitfire MkVbTrop RAF 249Sqn GNU Italy 1944 01

Spitfire MkVbTrop RAF 249Sqn TL George Beurlin EP706 Ta Qali Malta 1942 0A

Spitfire MkVbTrop RAF 249Sqn TL Maurice Stephens EP706 Ta Qali Malta 1942 0A

Spitfire MkVc RAF 249Sqn GNB JK446 Takoradi Ghana 1943 01

Spitfire MkVcTrop RAF 249Sqn at Ta Kali Malta IWM CM3215

Spitfire MkVcTrop RAF 249Sqn at Ta Kali Malta IWM CM3237

Spitfire MkVcTrop RAF 249Sqn B BR246 Takali Malta April 1942

Spitfire MkVcTrop RAF 249Sqn S George Beurling BR3233 Hal Far Malta 1942 0A

Spitfire MkVcTrop RAF 249Sqn S George Beurling BR323 Ta Qali Malta 1942 0A

Spitfire MkVcTrop RAF 249Sqn TB BP983 over Egypt IWM HU73183

Spitfire MkVcTrop RAF 249Sqn TD BR130 at Ta Kali Malta IWM CM3270

Spitfire MkVb RAF 249Sqn T-L Maurice Stephens EP706 Ta Qali Malta 1942

EP706 Vb CBAF M46 38MU 25-7-42 RAF Abbotsinch 3-8-42 ff Malta 6-9-42 249S C2 ops 12-10-42 Engine cut abandoned 23m N of Valletta Malta 3-3-43

Spitfire MkVcTrop RAF 249Sqn TB BP983 over Egypt IWM HU73183

Spitfire Mark VC, BP983 'TB', of No. 249 Squadron RAF, in flight over Egypt at the time of its transfer from Malta to North West Africa, where it joined No. 92 Squadron RAF.

Imperial War Museum IWM HU 73183 https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205211268

RAF Hal Far airfield Malta IWM MOWH181

High oblique aerial view of Hal Far airfield, Malta, taken at 5,000 feet from the north-west.

Imperial War Museum IWM ((MOW) H 18-1) https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205023367

Spitfire MkVcTrop RAF 249Sqn TD BR130 at Ta Kali Malta IWM CM3270

Three Supermarine Spitfire Mark VC(T)s (BR130 'T-D' nearest), of No. 249 Squadron RAF at readiness in their dispersal at Ta Kali, Malta.

Imperial War Museum IWM CM 3270 https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205208953

Spitfire MkVcTrop RAF 249Sqn at Ta Kali Malta IWM CM3215

Ground crew of No. 249 Squadron RAF take a break from maintaining their Supermarine Spitfire Mark VCs at Ta Kali, Malta, to observe the activity on the airfield.

Imperial War Museum IWM CM 3215 https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205208952

Spitfire MkVcTrop RAF 249Sqn at Ta Kali Malta IWM CM3237

Ground crew of No. 249 Squadron RAF take a break from maintaining their Supermarine Spitfire Mark VCs at Ta Kali, Malta, to observe the activity on the airfield.

Imperial War Museum IWM CM 3237 https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205208950

Spitfire MkVb RAF 249Sqn TJ TK n TU at Ta Kali Malta IWM HU72341

Supermarine Spitfire Mark VBs, 'T-J', 'T-K' and 'T-U', of No. 249 Squadron RAF at readiness at Ta Kali, Malta.

Imperial War Museum IWM HU 72341 https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205090507

Spitfire MkVb RAF 249Sqn TM at Krendi Malta IWM HU72343

Supermarine Spitfire, 'T-M', of No. 249 Squadron RAF awaits at readiness at Krendi, Malta.

Imperial War Museum IWM HU 72343 https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205090508

Aircrew RAF 249Sqn pilots between sorties at Grottaglie Italy IWM CNA2350

NCO pilots of No. 249 Squadron RAF enjoy an open-air game of cards between sorties at Grottaglie, Italy,

Imperial War Museum IWM CNA 2350 https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205212492

Aircrew RAF 249Sqn John Lynch was credited with Maltas 1000 aerial victory IWM CM5096

Squadron Leader J J Lynch, Commanding Officer of No. 249 Squadron RAF, sits in the cockpit of his Supermarine Spitfire Mark VC at Krendi, Malta, as an airman chalks "Malta's 1,000th" below his victory tally. Lynch, an American who joined the RAF in 1941, served with No. 71 (Eagle) Squadron RAF in the United Kingdom before being posted to 249 Squadron in Malta in Novembe 1942. He became a flight commander in early 1943 and was given the command of the Squadron in March. He enjoyed much success during operations over the sea route between Sicily and Tunisia, and, on the 28 April 1943, shot down a Junkers Ju 52 five miles north of Cap Cefalu which was assessed as being the 1,000th enemy aircraft shot down by Malta based units since the start of the war. Lynch transferred to the USAAF in July 1943 having scored 10 and 7 shared victories with the RAF.

Imperial War Museum IWM CM 5096 https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205209074

Spitfire MkVb RAF 249Sqn TNT SLdr John J Lynch EP829 RAF Qrendi Malta May 1943 0A

Info Eduard: John Joseph Lynch was born on 3 February 1918 in Alhambra, California. In 1941 he joined the RAF, initially serving with No. 232 Squadron before being attached to No. 121 “Eagle” Squadron and later No. 71 “Eagle” Squadron, where he shared in the destruction of a Ju 88 on 17 April 1942. In November 1942 he was transferred to Malta and posted to No. 249 Squadron, playing a key role in the island’s defence. At the beginning of 1943 he was promoted to command the squadron and went on to score several victories against Axis transport aircraft supplying Tunisia. On 28 April 1943 he destroyed a Ju 52, a kill that marked the 1,000th victory claimed by the defenders of Malta. In July 1943 he was reassigned to the USAAF, although he saw no further combat. Lynch flew Spitfire EP829 from February to May 1943 while serving with No. 249 Squadron. The aircraft was part of Operation “Train,” the final carrier delivery of Spitfires to Malta. It initially had clipped wings before being converted to standard span. The main fuel tank cover carried the squadron commander’s marking along with seven kill markings recorded up to 28 April 1943, while below the windscreen was the inscription “Malta’s 1000” in honour of that milestone victory. Over his combat career, Lynch was credited with 17 kills (ten individual and seven shared), plus one probable and two damaged.