Spitfire
Adding Insult To Injury by Grinnell
Led by 307th Fighter Squadron commander Maj. George LaBresche, four Spitfires cruised at 10,000 feet south of Tunis, Algeria on 6 May 1943. A few yards off his right wing, 1st Lt. J.D. "Jerry" Collinsworth maintained a comfortable position in the "finger-four" formation.
Suddenly, over the R/T came the sounds of a "dogfight" in progress. "It sounded like a pretty good one" Collinsworth said, "and George started in that direction." Arriving in the combat area, Collinsworth spotted a pair of FW-190s about 1,000 feet above and called out their position to his leader. Unable to spot the German fighters, LaBresche gave Collinsworth and the number three man clearance to attack. "I pulled up behind the number two man," Collinsworth continued. "I fired a short burst and when I did the canopy came off the FW-190. I quit firing as I assumed he was getting ready to bail out, and sure enough, out he came."
Collinsworth immediately broke to the right to clear his 6:00 o'clock position, and continued the right turn for a full 360-degree circle. At that point, he found himself suddenly alone, not another soul in the sky - except for a white parachute drifting down about a quarter of a mile away. As Collinsworth later remembered, "I decided to go back and take a look at him. As I passed him, for some reason I thumbed my nose at the old boy. It seems kinda silly now, I know, but I still think it was a lot better than shooting him (in the parachute). I'm sure he thought so, too. With that, I split-S'ed to the deck and proceeded for home."
The FW-190 was Collinsworth's fourth victory. He scored two more in the "reverse lend-lease" Spitfire - all FW-190s.
Signed by Col. J.D. Collinsworth
Print size: 30"w X 24"h
Limited edition of: 1250 signed and numbered
