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[NZTyphoon]

I remember reading somewhere that before Oblt. Armin Faber of 7./JG2 landed his FW 190A-3 at RAF Pembrey by mistake on 23/6/42 he had engaged in combat with Spitfire VBs of 310(Czech) Sqn, shooting one down. Does anyone have any information on the pilot and the markings of his Spitfire? 

Jeff

[Antoni]

P/O Trejtnar. BL517 NN*E

[AJS]

P/O Trejtnar. BL517 NN*E

Indeed. BL517 Joined 310 Sqn on 24-1-42 as 'NN-E'.
4-6-42 reported as damaged by Fw190 and abandoned nr Witheridge Devon
23-6-42 struck off charge

[Antoni]

Trejtnar, Frantisek. Prewar CzAF pilot in 3rd Air Regiment. With French Air Force 1939-40 serving in Toulouse and then to UK. After retraining posted to 310 squadron November 1940. In January 1941 posted to 48 MU as test pilot, returned to 310 Squadron in May as Warrant Officer. Wounded in action 23rd June 1942 and withdrawn from operations until January 1943, posted back to 310 Squadron. July 1944 left operational duty to be posted to Czechoslovak Depot until the end of the war. To return to Czechoslovakia in August 1945 posted to 313 Squadron. One confirmed victory with 310 Squadron, Europe 1942.
On 23rd June 1942 Flight Sergeant Trejtnar scrambled from Bolt Head to protect returning Bostons and to help Czech squadrons engaged with Fw 190s of JG.2 near the English coast. He noticed a lone enemy and started to chase him. The German pilot turned towards Trejtnar’s Spitfire. Still climbing steeply and in a head on attack the Spitfire was hit in the wing and engine. Trejtnar baled out and broke a leg on landing.

[NZTyphoon]

Thanks for the information Antoni & AJS; most interesting. My intention is to build 1:48 scale models of both these aircraft - Hasegawa released a FW 190A-3 (JT90) with the markings of (presumably) Faber's aircraft. It would be possible to build two FW 190s, in 7./JG 2 markings and as AP499.

 I've saved your answers as a file for future offline reference.

Cheers

Jeff

[Antoni]

You would think that there were some good pictures of Faber’s 190 after it landed but these are the only two I know of.

[Antoni]

Part of the cockpit is the only known surviving part.

[Antoni]

I have never seen any photos of BL517. The painting is, I think, a fair representation of both aircraft. The only criticism I have is that that I have never seen the Czech roundel on 310’s Spitfires in 1942. I doubt BL517 had them.

[Antoni]

Typical appearance of 310 Spitfire in 1942/43. Note absence of Czech roundel under the cockpit. 

[Editor]

You would think that there were some good pictures of Faber’s 190 after it landed but these are the only two I know of.

There is at least one more from the UK showing Faber's aircraft in starboard profile, with markings and fuselage mottling pattern rather well visible. I've seen it in many books, but can't remember exactly which ones.