Greek Spitfires - did Greece purchase their Spitfires?

Read the forum code of contact

Member for

20 years 8 months

Posts: 26

Did Greece ‘purchase’ Spitfire Mk IXc - MJ755 from UK or was the a/c ‘free issue’ from RAF stocks

PZU - Out of Africa (Retired)

Original post

Member for

18 years 3 months

Posts: 887

Don't know the specifics of 1947 transfers to (our side of Good Guys in the) Hellenic A/F, but the general procedure, UK and US, was (even, is) that transfers to Allies (especially in-Theatre) of kit bought and paid for by (UK/US) taxpayers (years) ago, was accounted for as In the National Interest, so no cash charge. Subsequent parts/overhaul labour...different story. Orders for new build...different story, case-by-case, so sometimes paid for against an Aid ledger. So: UK, after Lend/Lease: we returned our C-54s with great dismay because $ were required to keep them operational...so we upgraded with, ah, Lancastrians.

Member for

17 years 10 months

Posts: 3,778

I thought after they finished with them they dug a big hole and buried them !

TIN HATS EVERYBODY

Member for

14 years

Posts: 1,788

TNA at Kew has a file (PREM 8/993) which is titled, "Economic aid for Greece: proposed expansion of Greek armed forces; gift of Spitfires" - any help?

Member for

24 years 2 months

Posts: 2,598

TNA at Kew has a file (PREM 8/993) which is titled, "Economic aid for Greece: proposed expansion of Greek armed forces; gift of Spitfires" - any help?

It’s when the freebies are the other way round you have to be careful

Member for

5 years 5 months

Posts: 126

Especially the Trojans (and their wooden horses!)

Member for

15 years 3 months

Posts: 923

Not to mention Marbles...