Jacob_Marley
Well-Known Member
In the underbelly of history a lot of stories like this were buried with the men who fulfilled the missions ...
In the thirstier moments of WWII, the Spitfire was used in an unorthodox role: bringing kegs of beer to the men in Normandy.
During the war, the Henegar and Constable brewery officially donated free beer to the troops; other brands and sources were utilized as well.
After the D-Day invasion, supplying the invasion troops in Normandy with vital supplies of food and equipment was of course a challenge, and there was really no room in the logistics chain for such luxuries as beer or other types of refreshments.
While some men, often called 'sourcers', were able to get wine or other niceties from the land or rather from the locals ... on the other hand, the British RAF Spitfire pilots came up with another idea.
The Spitfire had evolved one version called the SpitfireMk IX which had pylons under the wings for either bombs or tanks ... in a moment of sheer brilliance it was discovered that the bomb pylons could also be modified to carry beer kegs.
If only to be there for that moment. How many beers did that mechanical genius get bought for him?
As well, if the Spitfire flew high enough, the cold air at altitude would even refresh the beer, making it ready for consumption upon arrival. Another variation used was a long range fuel tank modified to carry beer instead of fuel. The modification even received the official designation Mod. XXX.
A Mod. XXX being refilled ...
Propaganda services were quick to pick up on this, which probably explains the official designation.
As a result, Spitfires equipped with Mod XXX or keg-carrying pylons were often sent back to Great Britain for maintenance or liaison duties. They would then return to Normandy with full beer kegs fitted under the wings.
The Spitfire had very little ground clearance with the larger beer kegs.
Typically, the British Revenue of Ministry and Excise stepped in, notifying the brewery that they were in violation of the law by exporting beer without paying the relevant taxes. It seems that Mod. XXX was terminated then, but various squadrons found different ways to refurbish their stocks, most often done with the unofficial approval of higher echelons. No doubt small-run "homebrew" flew this way as well.
In his book Dancing in the Skies, Tony Jonsson, the only Icelander pilot in the RAF, recalled beer runs while he was flying with 65 Squadron. Every week a pilot was sent back to the UK to fill some cleaned-up drop tanks with beer and return to the squadron. While Jonsson, an Ace, flew bravely in battle ... the beer runs worried him as every man on the squadron would be watching you upon arrival. Anyone who made a rough landing and dropped the tanks would have a rough time in the squadron for the rest of that thirsty week.
The stories of RAF pilots flying kegs of beer to the troops no doubt gives new meaning to "I'll buy, you fly".
This Memorial Day remember that along with those fallen servicemen and those that served but have passed on, the stories of their efforts, many heroic ... many selfless ... and in this case maybe just thirsty ... disappear with them.
So take a moment this Memorial Day to talk with someone from "The Greatest Generation" ...
and toast a beer in their honor.
In the thirstier moments of WWII, the Spitfire was used in an unorthodox role: bringing kegs of beer to the men in Normandy.
During the war, the Henegar and Constable brewery officially donated free beer to the troops; other brands and sources were utilized as well.
After the D-Day invasion, supplying the invasion troops in Normandy with vital supplies of food and equipment was of course a challenge, and there was really no room in the logistics chain for such luxuries as beer or other types of refreshments.
While some men, often called 'sourcers', were able to get wine or other niceties from the land or rather from the locals ... on the other hand, the British RAF Spitfire pilots came up with another idea.
The Spitfire had evolved one version called the SpitfireMk IX which had pylons under the wings for either bombs or tanks ... in a moment of sheer brilliance it was discovered that the bomb pylons could also be modified to carry beer kegs.
If only to be there for that moment. How many beers did that mechanical genius get bought for him?
As well, if the Spitfire flew high enough, the cold air at altitude would even refresh the beer, making it ready for consumption upon arrival. Another variation used was a long range fuel tank modified to carry beer instead of fuel. The modification even received the official designation Mod. XXX.
A Mod. XXX being refilled ...
Propaganda services were quick to pick up on this, which probably explains the official designation.
As a result, Spitfires equipped with Mod XXX or keg-carrying pylons were often sent back to Great Britain for maintenance or liaison duties. They would then return to Normandy with full beer kegs fitted under the wings.
The Spitfire had very little ground clearance with the larger beer kegs.
Typically, the British Revenue of Ministry and Excise stepped in, notifying the brewery that they were in violation of the law by exporting beer without paying the relevant taxes. It seems that Mod. XXX was terminated then, but various squadrons found different ways to refurbish their stocks, most often done with the unofficial approval of higher echelons. No doubt small-run "homebrew" flew this way as well.
In his book Dancing in the Skies, Tony Jonsson, the only Icelander pilot in the RAF, recalled beer runs while he was flying with 65 Squadron. Every week a pilot was sent back to the UK to fill some cleaned-up drop tanks with beer and return to the squadron. While Jonsson, an Ace, flew bravely in battle ... the beer runs worried him as every man on the squadron would be watching you upon arrival. Anyone who made a rough landing and dropped the tanks would have a rough time in the squadron for the rest of that thirsty week.
The stories of RAF pilots flying kegs of beer to the troops no doubt gives new meaning to "I'll buy, you fly".
This Memorial Day remember that along with those fallen servicemen and those that served but have passed on, the stories of their efforts, many heroic ... many selfless ... and in this case maybe just thirsty ... disappear with them.
So take a moment this Memorial Day to talk with someone from "The Greatest Generation" ...
and toast a beer in their honor.
