08 Apr 1944:
Plt Off Sawaeng Petchpinij and Sgt Sanong Chivanutra with their Curtiss Hawk IIIs intercepted four Beaufighters, Sqdn 211, RAF over Lamphun. Sqn Ldr Muller-Rowland of the Beaufighters shot down Plt Off Sawaeng who bailed out successfully.
References:
- ประว้ติกองท้พอากาส ในสงครามมหาเอเชียบูรพา ระหว่าง พ.ศ.-๒๔๘๔-๒๔๘๘ (นครราชสีมา: สมบูรณ์การพิมพ์, พ.ศ.๒๕๖๔) [History of the Royal Thai Air Force during the Great East Asia War, 1941-1945 (Nakhon Ratchasima: Somboon Printing, 2021); hereafter, RTAF History 2021], p 180 (translated):
08 April 1944
Time 1500 hrs. Four RAF 211 Squadron Bristol Beaufighters intended to attack Chiang Mai Airfield, but finding no aircraft there, they switched to an attack on Ban Pa Sao Stn1 (Google Maps link), [about 18km SSE of Chiang Mai Airfield], causing a fire, killing one person and wounding two others.
Sub Lt Sawaeng Pechpinit took off in a Curtiss Hawk III fighter aircraft from Lamphun Airfield2 (Google Maps link) to intercept and follow up with Sgt Sanong Shivanutra. When the British aircraft had finished their attack and were leaving the target, Sqn Ldr JSR Muller-Rowland saw Sub Lt Sawaeng’s Hawk III flying over Lamphun, so he tried to attack the Thai aircraft, which tried to evade with a violent maneuver. Unfortunately, the pilot had taken off in such a hurry that he had not fastened his seatbelt, so when the pilot executed his maneuver, negative G-force pulled him out of the plane. He managed to open his parachute and land with only a minor head injury (Details in ผนวก ข. ประสบการณ์ของทหารผ่านศึก [Appendix B. Experiences of War Veterans], pages 491-492).
Another plane involved in the incident was a Vought Corsair, with crew, Flt Sgt Chit Jarudecha and Flt Lt Chitchai Suwanapreuk, which was flying from Nan to Lamphun and on to Chiang Mai.
- Shores, Christopher, Air War for Burma [Bloody Shambles, vol 3] (London: Grub Street, 2005), p 202:
Four of 211 Squadron’s Beraufighters were off to attack Chiengmai rail sidings in Thailand. Sqn Ldr JDR Muller-Rowland, who had been advised of the award of a DFC on the previous day, found a Thai Air Force Curtiss Hawk III biplane fighter circling round a column of black smoke, and at once shot it down, the pilot bailing out.
- Young, Edward, Aerial Nationalism (Washington: Smithsonian, 1995), p 202:
The Royal Air Force was also active over northern Thailand, sending out twin-engined Beaufighters from Burma on long-range strafing missions against road and railway targets and airfields. On several missions during March and April 1944, the Beaufighters strafed Chiang Mai airfield and on one occasion ran into a Thai Air Force fighter. On April 8, 1944, four Beaufighters from No. 211 squadron carried out a sweep over Chiang Mai. The four aircraft strafed the Chiang Mai railway station and then flew over the airfield but saw no aircraft. While flying away from Chiang Mai, Squadron Leader Muller-Rouland spotted a Curtiss Hawk III circling over nearby Lamphun. He attacked and promptly shot the Hawk III down, the Thai pilot bailing out successfully.
Young references the Operations Record Book for No. 211 Squadron.
- Thai Air Accidents (offsite link) (Steve Darke/Ozel), p 79:
Date: 08Apr44
Type: Curtiss Hawk III
Operator: Thai AF
Serial: —
Location & Details: Shot down by RAF Beaufighter near Chiang Mai
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