All
Spitfire
Pilots





DUIGAN, Sinclair Michael

Stats:

rank: P/O
status: pow
airforce: RAF    (no: 80414 )
born: United Kingdom

added by: AdeMottram
add

All Images:

Bio / Text:

< = expand >
Sinclair Michael Duigan joined 145 Squadron RAF as a Sergeant pilot on 10th January 1942 from 81 Squadron which was re-equipping from Hurricanes to Spitfires.

He transferred to North Africa with 145 and was commissioned on 5th June (new service number 778581).

The ORB records that on 9.8.42 (which probably should be 10.8) there is reference to "Two Spitfires arrived, these were to be used to intercept high flying recco aircraft, and were to operate without cannons or R/T". These two, referred to as "stripped Spitfires", were sent up separately the following day to intercept a Ju 86 at 36,000ft.

There is only one interception mentioned in the ORB on 20.8.42 and this is well-described. The second Spitfire in the formation is referred to here as the "Marker" which, flown by F/Sgt EA Ker, reached 36,000ft and waved the stripped Spitfire in to engage 6,000 ft above. Sgt Duigan in the stripped Spitfire climbed to 40,000 ft, closed to with ten yards of a Ju 86 (yes, it does say ten yards; it would make sense to get close because it only has limited armament but...). The guns were frozen and only one bullet fired so Sgt Duigan tried to ram the Ju but lost height in the slipstream and returned to base.

From the ORB the Marker can be identifed as BP847. The stripped Spitfire is harder to identify; Duigan's aircraft in the list next to Ker's is BR467 but the flight times given are identical to an earlier entry in the list (there were four scrambles earlier in the day) so that is probably incorrect and that the correct serial is probably BR487.

On 3rd November the then Pilot Officer Duigan did not return from a sortie over Egypt and was reported missing. He subsequently ended up a POW at Stalag Luft 3 Sagan & Belaria. pow no 2422. The POW list has him recorded as South African. While in captivity he was promoted to F/Off in November 1942 and Flt/LT in June 1944.

Squadrons:

Squadrons add
AirforceSqdrnDate
RAF 145 Squadron 1942-01-10

Aircraft:

Aircraftadd
SerialNoteDate
AR287 Interception of enemy bombers 1941-07-15
AR287 Sweep to el Daba 1941-10-19
EP254 Freelance sweep to Daba 1941-10-27
AA933 Formation 1942-01-11
W3796 Formation 1942-01-16
W3796 Flight formation 1942-01-16
W3796 Battle formation 1942-01-17
W3796 Formation 1942-01-17
W3796 Battle formation 1942-01-18
W3796 Formation 1942-01-19
AA933 Battle formation 1942-01-25
W3626 Battle formation 1942-01-31
W3796 White patrol 1942-01-31
AD573 Local flying 1942-02-09
AB502 Local flying 1942-06-07
AB502 Local flying 1942-06-08
BP848 Cannon test 1942-06-09
AB502 Escort 1942-06-11
BP848 Bomber escort 1942-06-12
AB339 Operational patrol 1942-06-12
AR286 Patrol 1942-06-13
AR284 Patrol base 1942-06-14
AB412 From 155 to 76 1942-06-20
AB373 Patrol 1942-06-22
AB168 Air test 1942-06-25
AR286 Intercept enemy planes over Sidi Barrani 1942-06-26
AR321 To Aboukir 1942-06-26
AB411 Operations 1942-06-30
AB136 Operational patrol 1942-07-01
BP959 Operational patrol 1942-07-03
AR282 Ops patrol 1942-07-03
AR287 Ops patrol 1942-07-04
AR287 Ops patrol; 1 Me 109 damaged 1942-07-06
BP848 Ops patrol 1942-07-07
AR290 Non-operational 1942-07-09
AR287 Ops patrol 1942-07-09
AR289 Ops patrol 1942-07-10
BP847 Operations 1942-07-11
AR287 Reconnaissance patrol 1942-07-12
AR287 Patrol over the lines 1942-07-14
AB373 Non-operational 1942-07-14
AR287 Top cover to Hurricanes 1942-07-15
AR287 Protecting Bostons 1942-07-20
BP847 Freelance patrol 1942-07-21
BP865 Patrol north of the line 1942-07-23
AB252 Non-operational 1942-07-24
BR519 Non-operational 1942-07-24
BR519 Operation to intercept He111s 1942-07-27
BR519 Scramble base 1942-08-03
BP984 Patrol to el Daba 1942-08-04
BR491 Local flying 1942-08-05
BP984 Practice flying 1942-08-10
BR487 Local flying 1942-08-12
BP847 Practice flying 1942-08-12
BP959 Practice flying 1942-08-12
AB207 Practice flying 1942-08-13
BR586 ‘Stripped’ Spitfire scrambled 1942-08-14
BP985 Practice flying 1942-08-14
BP987 Practice 1942-08-15
BP984 Local 1942-08-16
BP847 Scramble 1942-08-17
AB146 Local 1942-08-18
BR491 Local 1942-08-19
BR491 Scramble 1942-08-19
BR491 Formation 1942-08-19
BR467 Scramble 1942-08-20
BR487 Scramble ‘stripped’ Spitfire to intercept Ju86 1942-08-20
BP984 Top cover to 239 Wing armed recco 1942-08-23
BP984 Top cover to 239 Wing 1942-08-24
AB147 Cannon test 1942-08-28
AB146 Offensive sweep 1942-08-28
BR235 Escort to convoy 1942-08-29
AB189 Cannon tests 1942-08-30
BP984 Offensive sweep 1942-08-31
BP984 Patrol central sector 1942-09-02
BP984 Scramble; 1 Me109 probable 1942-09-03
BP984 Scramble 1942-09-04
BP987 Scramble 1942-09-06
AR287 Scramble base 1942-09-12
AB136 Scramble with 601 Squadron 1942-09-13
AB207 Patrol with 601 Squadron 1942-09-14
AB207 Tac R escort 1942-09-15
AB207 Scramble base with 601 Squadron 1942-09-16
AR287 Scramble base 1942-09-18
AR287 Offensive sweep 1942-09-19
AB168 Offensive sweep 1942-09-22
AR287 Scramble 1942-09-27
BR389 Tac R escort 1942-09-30
AR287 Escort to Kittyhawks 1942-10-09
AB168 Camera gun practice 1942-10-14
AR287 Squadron formation 1942-10-18
AB502 Sweep to Fuka 1942-10-20
BR477 Three cannon tests 1942-10-21
BR477 To Aboukir 1942-10-21
AB139 Sweep to Daba 1942-10-24
AB168 Air test 1942-10-24
EP694 Sweep to Daba 1942-10-25
EP254 Cannon test 1942-10-25
EP254 Freelance sweep to Daba 1942-10-25
EP254 Freelance sweep to Daba 1942-10-26
AR235 Cannon test 1942-10-27
BR325 Cannon test 1942-10-27
EP254 Freelance sweep to Daba 1942-10-28
EP254 Scramble 1942-10-29
BP978 To 59 RTU 1942-11-02
EP254 Sweep to Daba; did not return 1942-11-03

post

Comments / Questions:

post