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  F/L F.A.O. Gaze (Spitfire-XIVs v Me-262s)

Posted by: Guest
08.05.2007, 01:08
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[img]http://img522.imageshack.us/img522/2069/latespit04hk1lwaz2.jpg[/img]

[color=orange][size=150]On 14/2/45 I was leading Wavey Black section of two aircraft on standing patrol over NIJMEGEN. At about 1630 hours I sighted an Arado 234 pulling up from attacking the CLEVE area. I dropped my tank and attempted to intercept but despite the fact that I cut the corner it pulled away easily at 7,000 ft. After this we continually chased Arados over this area. I fired at two without result. At about 1700 hours when it was apparent that the jets were diving down through the cloud which was from 9 - 11,000 ft. I climbed up through it, leaving Black 2 below, hoping to warn him when they dived. Then I did an orbit at 13,000 ft. to clear off the ice on the windscreen and sighted 3 M.E. 262's in Vic formation passing below me at cloud top level. I dived down behind them and closed in, crossing behind the formation and attacked the port aircraft which was lagging slightly. I could not see my sight properly as we were flying straight into the sun, but fired from dead astern, at a range of 350 yards, hitting it in the starboard jet with the second burst; at which the other 2 aircraft immediately dived into cloud. It pulled up slowly and turned to starboard and I fired obtaining more strikes on fuselage and jet which caught fire. The enemy rolled over on to its back and dived through cloud. I turned 180 and dived after it, calling on the R/T to warn my no.2; on breaking cloud I saw an aircraft hit the ground and explode about a mile ahead of me, at E.9859. I claim this M.E.262 destroyed. Black 2 also witnessed this explosion.

Combat Report for 14 February, 1945[/size][/color]

[img]http://brew.clients.ch/Gaze.jpg[/img][color=orange]F/L F.A.O. Gaze[/color]

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  F/Lt. Cowell (Spitfire-XIV v Me-262)

Posted by: Guest
08.05.2007, 01:05
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[color=orange][size=150]I was leading Kudos Blue Section of six aircraft and had finished attacking a train near NEUMUNSTER and was orbitting with the rest of my section at 6,000 ft. prior to turning for a course for home, when I observed two ME 262's flying in line abreast, in an Easterly direction. I reported these aircraft and turned in sharply after them, as they passed over the top of me, at the same time jettisoning my long range petrol tank. The E/A were then 1-2,000 yards ahead and they opened up and dived for the deck. I followed them doing 440 mph in the dive and 400 mph on the deck and was closing slowly. The A/C were heading straight for LUBECK and obviously intended to lead us over flak area and it was obvious that we should not catch them before this happened. I then pulled up to 3,000 ft and observed the E/A making for the aerodrome south of LUBECK. The ME 262 on the starboard side did a turn to starboard and put his wheels and flaps down with the intention of doing a right hand circuit to land west to east. I was therefore able to cut him off and make a short head on attack. No results were observed. I then broke sharply to port and was able to make a 60

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  F/Lt. D. J. Reid (Spitfire-XIV & Arado-234)

Posted by: Guest
08.05.2007, 01:03
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[color=orange][size=150]I took off from B.80 at 0702 as Blue 1 with F/Sgt Kelly as Blue 2, to patrol Nijmegan. At approx. 0735 Planet reported a Jet aircraft N.E. of Weert. I flew towards Weert in thin layers of cloud, then returned towards Nijmegen still between cloud layers. On emerging near Nijmegan saw a single aircraft about one mile in front and about 1000 ft. above. I immediately gave chase instructing my No. 2 to slow down and drop his jet tank, being unable to do so myself due to high speed. The E/A turned slightly to Starboard and continued towards the North East, weaving slightly from time to time. I kept out of the enemy pilot's view by keeping under his tail plane and slowly overhauled him at an I.A.S. of 340 m.p.h. at 8/9000 ft. Whilst astern of the E/A I was only able to say it was jet propelled and not an Me.262 (or Meteor). I closed to 100 yards or less, firing with .5 M.G. and cannon whilst still overtaking. I saw strikes on the Port wing, Port jet engine and fuselage. E/A immediately emmitted dense clouds of brownish smoke, possibly jet exhaust. I continued firing and saw flshes in the smoke, breaking away at extremely close range, and being hit in the port radiator by debris. I next saw E/A going down in a wide spiral to Starboard with white smoke or vapour pouring from holes all along the Port wing, and dark smoke from the fuselage. I could then see the long nose of the a/c and the straight tapered wings with rounded tips and identified E/A as an Arado 234. A large piece of E/A suddenly flew off, and one person baled out, parachute opening. E/A steepened its dive and crashed somewhere near Enschede, being completely destroyed by explosion. Some fire from the ground was seen at this time. I returned to patrol being rejoined by my No. 2 who witnessed the destruction of this enemy a/c.
I claim one Arado 234 destroyed.

Combat Report for 2 March, 1945[/size][/color]

[img]http://img522.imageshack.us/img522/2069/latespit04hk1lwaz2.jpg[/img]

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  P/O Hussey and F/Sgt. Harding (Spitfire-XIVs v Fw-190s)

Posted by: Guest
08.05.2007, 00:53
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[color=orange][size=150]610 Squadron's Intelligence Officer recorded on 7 March, 1944 what may be the Spitfire XIV's first aerial combat

Black section, (P/O Hussey and F/Sgt. Harding) were patrolling on an east west line about 20 miles south east of Start Point 500 feet above sea level, under the control of Kingswear C.H.L. Station.
At approx 17.30 hours the Section was told to investigate unidentified aircraft 15 miles ahead, on a vector 120 degrees. After two minutes this vector was changed to 150 degress (At this time Black one was using only plus 12 lbs boost with his jet tank still on, and the A.S.I. was clocking about 350 miles per hour.) The section was now outside G.C.I. cover, but after about a minute 3 F.W. 190's appeared from 9 o'clock approx 200 feet below, flying in a fairly close vic on a rough vector of 240 degrees; visibility was bad owing to haze, and the section had hardly seen the E/A before they had passed underneath to 3 o'clock.
Black Section immediately pulled round to the right, and it seemed that the E/A saw them at the same moment, for as our section turned on their tails, black smoke was seen pouring from their engines as they pushed everything forward and dived to sea level. The F.W. 190 on the left of the section turned south, and the other two turned away and disappeared into the haze and glare of the sun. Our section gave chase to the single F.W. 190 which at this time, was about 800 yards ahead, right on the deck. We closed without difficulty but when 400 yards away, Black 1 noticed a F.W. 190 making a quarter attack on him from between 4 and 5 o'clock, so gave the order to "break right". As he pulled up he saw the E/A fireing at him with insufficient deflection, and it appeared that the turning circle of the Spitfire XIV was better than that of the F.W. 190. Black 1, at 1,000 feet, was now in the haze and lost sight of the F.W. 190 and his No. 2.
Black 2, who was on the left of Black 1, saw the F.W. 190 break off his attack on Black 1, and dive south west to sea level, so he rolled down to the left and got on to the tail of the F.W. 190 at a distance of about 800 yards (The F.W. 190 that our section had been chasing originally, had disappeared by this time)
At first Black 2, did not close on the F.W. 190 as fast as he would have liked (probably due to the excitement, he forgot to jettison his tank with Black 1 at the commencement of the first chase. The addition of the jet tank would probably take off 30 miles per hour.) Another F.W. 190 now appeared ahead at about 11 o'clock, and joined formation on the left of the aircraft that Black 2 was chasing.
Black 2 now found that he was closing in quite fast, around 400 I.A.S. and opened fire on the left hand F.W. 190 from dead astern at 300 yards he saw strikes on both wing roots and panels flew off the port mainplane as he closed to about 100 yards. Not until the strikes were observed did the other E/A take any action. Even then he did nothing for some time, then pulled straight up and round to the left, and tried to get on the tail of Black 2. Black 2 took a final squirt at his target whose only evasive action was pitching slightly up and down, before he broke into the other E/A which was trying to get on his tail (although clocking 360 m.p.h. the turning circle of the Spitfire seemed superior to that of the F.W. 190) The F.W. 190 fired at Black 2 but allowed insufficient deflection then broke off his attack and disappeared into the mist. The E/A was not seen [/size][/color]

[img]http://img522.imageshack.us/img522/2069/latespit04hk1lwaz2.jpg[/img]

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  F/Sgt. G. W. Hudson (Spitfire-XIVs v Me109s)

Posted by: Guest
08.05.2007, 00:48
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[color=orange][size=150]On 9th December (actually the 8th) I took off with the squadron (nine aircraft) on G.C.17 (armed recce. to Dulmen, Munster and Hamm). I was yellow 2. Near Burgstein we found a train and my section which was led by F/L. Hume and which comprised F/L. Walmsley and myself went down to attack. I was last to attack and as I flew through the smoke my windscreen became badly covered. I flew around for awhile and then I saw some aircraft coming from the S.E. at about 500 feet and they were diving on the train. I could not see very well and at first I thought they were Mustangs. They looked as if they were camouflaged silver-gray. Someone then called up and said they were Huns. I looked round and found that one of them was on my tail firing at me. I did a steep climbing turn to the right and evaded them by getting into cloud. I flew above cloud for a minute or two and then came down again but could see nothing of the e/a. I then heard some one call again saying "There are Huns up here". I went up but saw nothing. By this time my windscreen had cleared so I came down again and then saw a dog fight going on about two miles away behind me on my port side. I saw two Me 109's going away on the deck. I could now see they were 109's. They had black spinners and there appeared to be a black ring behind the propeller. I went after them and I attacked what appeared to be the No. 1 of the section. I came in from the starboard side and fired from about 300 yds., but my first burst was behind. My angle of deflection had been about 35

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  F/O Harry Walmsley (Spitfire-XIVs v Me-109s, Fw-190s)

Posted by: Guest
08.05.2007, 00:45
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[color=orange][size=150] On 8th December I was Yellow 3, and my squadron had been detailed on armed recce to cover Dulmen, Hamm, Munster. There were 9 aircraft airbourne at 1409 and W/Cdr. Keefer was leading. About 1505 we approached Burgstein. Red and Blue sections went to one side of the town and my section went to the other. We saw a locomotive with about ten trucks. We had made one attack on the loco. and two on the trucks and were preparing to make another when about a dozen aircraft appeared from the east and they dived straight past us as if they wre joining in the attack on the train. These aircraft had cigar-shaped drop tanks slung under the centre of the fuselage and I thought at first they were American aircraft. I then saw the crosses on the wings and I could see that they were Me 109's and FW 190's. A dog fight started with everyone milling round. After about five minutes I found myself alone. I saw another train pulled up in a station so I went down and had a squirt at it and saw strikes on the locomotive. When I pulled up I saw a Spitfire in trouble. It was smoking and the undercarriage partly down. I joined up with it to protect it. There were five Spitfires there. I do not know what happened to the damaged Spitfire for suddenly six e/a probably some of the ones I had first seen came diving down out of cloud. They had obviously climbed and reformed after the initial attack. This second attack made from 10/10th. cloud at 1,500 feet was obviously directed against the damaged Spitfire. Some of the others in the Squadron chased them off. I went for two which were making an attack. I made a quater attack on one of them, an Me 109, closing to 300 yards and giving a two second burst with all guns. I saw strikes behind the cockpit the e/a dived straight into the ground. I found I was being fired at by two e/a so I used full evasive tactics for about five minutes and finally got away into cloud. I landed at Heesh as I was short of petrol and made my claim to the Intelligence Officer there. I then returned to base. I claim this Me 109 destroyed.
I am sure that on the sides of the fuselage there where white roundels. The e/a were very persistant, the leaders certainly were very well clued up, I have never seen Huns fight so well. Their tactics were good in that obviously after the first attack they climbed to cloud and reformed. They definately caught us by surprise. I think they had either been on patrol, or had been scrambled, and when they saw smoke from the train they knew where we were and attacked out of cloud. The Spitfire XIV is definitely better than the 109 as I could do a better climbing turn even with my tank on. With my tank on the e/a could almost follow me but could not get a deflection shot at me. The e/a were using tracer and self-destructing ammunition. The camouflage was earth green and brown and blended well with the cloudy weather.

Combat Report for 8 December, 1944[/size][/color]

[img]http://img522.imageshack.us/img522/2069/latespit04hk1lwaz2.jpg[/img]

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  F/Lt L. J. Packwood (Spitfire-XIVs Me109s)

Posted by: Guest
08.05.2007, 00:37
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[color=orange][size=150]I was flying as No.2 to F/Lt. YOUNG on a Tac/R of Amersfoort area. East of Amersfoort we sighted 2 Ju. 88's escorted by 30+ mixed Me. 109's and F.W. 190's flying west. We turned up sun of the formation and attacked the last section. I attacked a Me 109 from dead astern and above, the enemy a/c took no evasive action. I gave it a 5 sec. burst with cannon and machine guns, closing from 400 - 150 yds. I observed strikes on the cockpit and fuselage, the enemy a/c disintegrated, the starboard wing broke off and flicked over on its back and hit the ground in flames at E.3596. This was also observed by F/Lt. YOUNG. I pulled vertically upwards and broke off the engagement.
I claim 1 Me. 109 destroyed.

Combat Report for 1 January, 1945[/size][/color]

[img]http://img522.imageshack.us/img522/2069/latespit04hk1lwaz2.jpg[/img]

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  Sqn Ldr Brian Lane (Spitfire-MkI vs BF109-E)

Posted by: Guest
07.05.2007, 01:24
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[color=orange][size=150]'He saw me as I turned after him and, putting on full inside rudder as he turned, skidded underneath me. Pulling round half stalled, I tore after him and got in a short burst as I closed on him before he was out of my sights again. That German pilot certainly knew how to handle a 109-1 have never seen one thrown about as that one was, and I felt certain that his wings would come off at any moment. However, they stayed on, and he continued to lead me a hell of a dance as I strove to get my sights on him again. Twice I managed to get in a short burst but I don't think I hit him, then he managed to get round towards my tail. Pulling hard round I started to gain on him and began to come round towards his tail. He was obviously turning as tightly as his kite could and I could see that his slots (on the leading edge of the wings) were open, showing he was nearly stalled. His ailerons were obviously snatching too, as first one wing and then the other would dip violently. 'Giving the Spitfire best, he suddenly flung out of the turn and rolled right over on his back passing across in front of me inverted. I couldn't quite see the point of this manoeuvre unless he hoped I would roll after him, when, knowing no doubt that my engine would cut (due to the float-type carburetter fitted to the Merlin engine) whereas his was still going owing to his petrol injection system, he would draw away from me. Either that or he blacked out and didn't realise what was happening for a moment, for he flew on inverted for several seconds, giving me the chance to get in a good burst from the quarter. Half righting himself for a moment, he slowly dived down and disappeared into the clouds still upside down, looking very much out of control. 'The sweat was pouring down my face and my oxygen mask was wet and sticky about my nose and mouth. I felt quite exhausted after the effort and my right arm ached from throwing the stick around the cockpit. At speed it needs quite a bit of exertion to move the stick quickly and coarsely in violent manoeuvres.'

Lane claimed the Messerschmitt as 'probably destroyed', but it cannot be linked with any known German loss. That afternoon no Bf 109 crashed on land within 20 miles of Dartford, the location Lane gave for the combat. When above-average pilots fought a turning fight, usually they were clever enough to avoid being shot down. Normally such actions ended inconclusively.

15 September 1940 - Sqn Ldr Brian Lane (six and one shared destroyed, two unconfirmed destroyed and one probable) led No 19 Sqn part of the No 12 Group 'Big Wing'[/size][/color]

[img]http://img161.imageshack.us/img161/3464/brianlanespitrw1.jpg[/img]

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  B-17E Vs BF 109 G2

Posted by: F22-Raptor-2006
06.05.2007, 15:07
Forum: Reference Center
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6/5/07 Bonger1's war 404m

I took a B-17E and some bombs to bomb someone I was on top of a mountain base. I tried to take off the short way and only just managed it with landing flaps and clipping my tail wheel on the edge but I survived. Then I dived down a bit, I saw a Seafire. I turned so that it couldn't shoot me down. I avoided him and he was shot down by my team. Then since no one was on there bottom base I decided not to drop any bombs and went looking for someone to kill. I thought my gunners could kill someone if I was chasing them or if they were next to me. So I found a BF 109 G2 and I chased it and nearly out turned it but it never got on my tail. I followed him for about 20 mins. He tried all kinds of stuff including loops but couldn't shake me off. Luckily my gunners were useless and they didn't damage him but it was still funny. I had combat or take off flaps down when I was turning which helped. The person flying the BF 109 G2 was Donkaroluss. In the end LW_Dragon came down and helped me and killed him!! Hehe that was fun. O yeah I never dropped my bombs on anything in the end but o well. I also blacked out in it as well which means it's not impossible to black out in big bombers lol

Gonna do it again now!!! :lol: :lol: :lol:

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  Spitfire Mk VIs, VIIs, VIIIs, IXs XIIs and XIVs

Posted by: Guest
06.05.2007, 14:59
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[img]http://img488.imageshack.us/img488/9706/latespit01xe1.jpg[/img]
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[img]http://img294.imageshack.us/img294/9229/latespit14yu5.jpg[/img]

[color=orange]Mk IXC BR369/EH-T of Wg Cdr Eric Thomas, OC Biggin Hill Wing, August 1942
Thomas had built up his score earlier in the war in Spitfires Mk Is, lis and Vs with Nos 222 and 133 Sqns. He did not add to his total while flying later versions of the fighter. At the end of the war Thomas' final tally was four aircraft destroyed and one shared destroyed, one and one shared probably destroyed and four and one shared damaged.

Mk IX EN398/JE-J of Wg Cdr Johnnie' Johnson, OC Kenley Wing, spring 1943
Johnson's biography is given in chapter 4. While flying EN398, he was credited with the destruction of 12 aircraft and shared in the destruction of 5 more, inflicted damage on 6 and shared in causing damage to 1 more. Also, on 20 June 1943, Sqn Ldr Robert McNair, OC of No 421 Sqn, was flying EN398 when he shot down an Fw 190.

Mk XIV RM787/CG of Wg Cdr Colin Gray, OC flying, Lympne, October 1944
Gray's biography is also given in chapter 4. By war's end his score stood at 27 aircraft destroyed (7 while flying the Mk IX) and 2 shared destroyed, 6 and 4 shared probably destroyed and 12 damaged, making him the top-scoring Kiwi pilot.

F VII MD188/PB of Wg Cdr Peter Brothers, OC Culmhead Wing, June 1944
Wearing a two-letter code as well as the standard RAF high altitude fighter scheme of the period -PR Blue upper surfaces and Deep Sky, Type S undersurfaces - this aircraft was one of the last F Vlls built. First flown on 21 May 1944, it was issued to No 131 Sqn in June, but was quickly seconded to the Culmhead Station Flight, and Peter Brothers. Its pilot had fought in France and during the Battle of Britain, and by war's end was credited with 16 aircraft destroyed, 1 probably destroyed and 3 damaged. His last kill was achieved on 7 August 1944 in MD188 against an Fw 190 over France.

LF IX PT396/EJ-C of Wg Cdr Jack' Charles RCAF, OC Tangmere Wing, August 1944
The frontline was rapidly moving beyond the range of Tangmere's Spitfires by 1944, and Charles failed to gain any kills while flying PT396. By VE-Day his score stood at 15 aircraft destroyed and 1 shared, 6 and 1 shared probably destroyed and 5 damaged - six kills were achieved with the Mk IX, with one being Biggin Hill's 1000th victory.

LF IX MK483/VY of Wg Cdr Adolphe Vybiral, OC of the Czech-manned North Weald Wing, 1944
A fighter pilot with the Czech Air Force before the war, Vybiral fled following German occupation and joined the French Air Force. In the Battle of France he flew Curtiss Hawks, claiming seven aircraft destroyed. He did not add to his score in the RAF.

LF VIII A58-464/CR-C of Grp Capt Clive Caldwell, OC No 80 Wg RAAF, Morotai, summer 1945
By mid-1945 Japanese air activity over the Southwest Pacific had all but collapsed, and No 80 Wg was engaged mainly in ground strafing operations. Caldwell achieved no victories while flying the LF VIII, and at the end of the war his score stood at 27 aircraft destroyed and 3 shared, 6 probably destroyed and 15 damaged - these were achieved while flying Tomahawks and Kittyhawks over North Africa, and Spitfire Mk Vs from Darwin. This aircraft initially received the RAF serial JG557 for its flight trials in the UK, flying for the first time on 24 January 1944. Shipped to Australia aboard the Narbaba between February and May, it served with No 80 Wg on Morotai, before finally being struck of charge (SOC) in November 1948.

LF VIII A58-497/RG-V of Wg Cdr Robert Gibbes, Deputy Wing Leader No 80 Wg RAAF, Sattler Field, Northern Territory, summer 1944
Gibbes served as deputy to Caldwell. Like the latter, he achieved no victories while flying the LF VIII due to a dearth of enemy activity in the area. At the end of the war Gibbes' score stood at 10 aircraft destroyed and 2 shared, 5 probably destroyed and 16 damaged, all achieved while flying Tomahawks and Kittyhawks with No 3 Sqn, RAAF, in North Africa. A58-497 failed to make the trip overseas, having been written off by another pilot in a landing accident at Sattler Field, south of Darwin, in December 1944.

LF IX MJ845/HBW of Wg Cdr Harold Bird-Wilson, OC No 122 Wg, Funtington, January 1944
An extremely accomplished aviator who has flown no less than 213 different types of aircraft over the years ranging from a Wallis autogiro through to an F-15, Bird-Wilson achieved most of his score in both the Battle of France and Britain with No 17 Sqn. At the end of the war his tally stood at 3 aircraft destroyed and 6 shared destroyed, 3 damaged and 1 destroyed on the ground. Bird-Wilson's last kill was a Bf 109G downed in August 1944 whilst flying a Mk IX with the Harrowbeer Wing.

Mk XIVE RM809/GCK of Wg Cdr George Clinton Keefer, OC No 125 Wg, Eindhoven, Holland, March 1945
Keefer was flying this machine when he shot down a Bf 109G near Rheine on 2 March 1945, followed by a Bf 109K of l./JG 27 17 days later. Canadian Keefer had earlier flown Hurricane Ms in the Western Desert with No 274 Sqn, then Spitfires Mk Vs/IXs in England with No 412 Sqn, and finally as leader of No 126 Wg. Given command of the Mk XlV-equipped No 125 Wg in November 1944, Keefer enjoyed success in leading sweeps across Germany in March and April 1945. By war's end his score stood at 12 aircraft destroyed, 2 probably destroyed, 9 damaged and 5 destroyed on the ground. Note how the Fighter Command band on RM809 has been painted out, a move adopted in 1945. From its first flight in September 1944 until it was scrapped in mid-1947, this aircraft served with eight frontline units, most of them Canadian.

Mk XIVE MV268/JEJ of Grp Capt Johnnie' Johnson, OC No 127 Wg, 2 TAF, Soltau, Germany, May 1945
Johnson took command of the Wing early in April 1945 and by VE-Day, less than a month later, he had encountered few enemy aircraft. As a result he gained no kills in the Mk XIVE. Like RM809, MV268 has had its 'fighter band' painted out.

LF IXC MJ783/WX-F of Grp Capt Aleksander Gabszewicz, OC No 131 Wg, 2 TAF, Lille/Vendeville, France, September 1944 First seeing action over Poland in a PZL PXIc on I September 1939, Gabszewicz, claimed a half kill in a He 111 before fleeing to France, where he flew combat sorties in a Bloch MB 152. He eventually ended up in the RAF, and steadily added to his score whilst flying firstly Hurricanes and then Spitfires from 1941 to 43. Gabszewicz's final kills were achieved in Mk IXs as leader of No 2 'Polish' Wg in 1943. He took command of No 131 Wg in July 1944, but failed to add to his score, which at the end of the war stood at eight destroyed and three shared, one and one shared probably destroyed and two damaged. After the war MJ783 was passed onto the Belgian Air Force, and today resides in the Brussels Aviation Museum

LF IX ML294/RAB, of Wg Cdr Rolfe Berg, OC No 132 Wg, 2 TAF, Grimbergen, Belgium, December 1944
Norwegian Berg was shot down by flak and killed over Germany on 3 February 1945. His score then stood at six aircraft destroyed and two probably destroyed, three shared damaged and six destroyed on the ground. Most of Berg's total was claimed whilst flying with No 331 Sqn in 1942/43.

LF IXB MK392 JE-J of Wg Cdr Johnnie' Johnson, OC No 144 Wg, Ford, June 1944
This is how Johnson's aircraft looked when he shot down an Fw 190 over France on 16 June 1944. While flying MK392 he was credited with the destruction of 12 aircraft (all Fw 190s and Bf 109s). 1 shared destroyed on the ground (Ju 88) and one damaged. Indeed, the ace's last kill of the war was scored in this aircraft on 27 September 1944. First flown seven months earlier, MK392 saw service with a variety of RCAF units - Nos 441, 443, 403, 416 and 401 Sqns, in that order. It was finally written off during operations from Heesch, in Holland, in March 1945 whilst part of No 401 Sqn.

LF VIM MD371/FB of Grp Capt Robert Boyd, OC No 239 Wg, Baigachi, India, 1944
Although there are rumours that Boyd claimed several aircraft shot down while he was commander of No 239 Wg, the reports appear not to have been preserved officially. His final score stands at 14 aircraft destroyed and 7 shared destroyed, 3 probably destroyed and 7 damaged, all of them achieved flying Spitfire Is/llsA/As and Bs between 1940 and 42, prior to being posted to Burma.

LF IX MH884/DS of Grp Capt Wilfred Duncan-Smith, OC No 324 Wg, Calvi, Corsica, August 1944
Duncan-Smith was flying MH884 when he led a pair of Spitfires to Ramatuelle, in the south of France, to inspect the first airstrip to come into use there following the Allied invasion. Duncan-Smith's final score stood at 17 aircraft destroyed and 2 shared, 6 and 2 shared probably destroyed and 8 damaged. More than half of his kills were achieved while flying the Mk IX. MH884, was eventually issued to No 72 Sqn in Italy in mid-1945, and it was whilst assigned to this unit that it was in collision with fellow Mk IX NH453, of No 111 Sqn, at Rutterfeld, in Austria, in April 1946 and written off.

Mk XIV RN135/YB-A of Sqn Ldr Ginger' Lacey, OC No 17 Sqn, Seletar, Singapore, autumn 1945
In other accounts this aircraft has been depicted in profile wearing different camouflage colours, but new photographic evidence has enabled our artist to show these correctly. Lacey's final score was 28 aircraft destroyed, 5 probably destroyed and 9 damaged. His only kill in a late-mark Spitfire was a Ki 43 'Oscar', downed over Burma with a Mk VIII.

Mk XII EN237/EB-V of Sqn Ldr Thomas Neil, OC No 41 Sqn, Hawkinge, spring 1943
Battle of Britain veteran Neil scored all his kills in 1940/41 flying Hurricanes. At the end of the war his tally was 12 aircraft destroyed and 4 shared destroyed, 2 probably destroyed and 1 damaged. This Mk XII was one of the first delivered to No 41 Sqn, arriving in March 1943. It was lost on operations a year later, have accrued a total of just 281.15 flying hours.

LF XII MB882/EB-B of Fit Lt Donald Smith of No 41 Sqn, Friston, April 1944
Smith's details are related in chapter 7. MB882 was the last Mk XII built, and after No 41 Sqn transitioned to Mk XIVs in September 1944, it ended its days at the Flight Leaders School at Milfield.

Mk XIVE MV266/EB-J of Sqn Ldr John Shepherd, OC No 41 Sqn, Twente, Holland, April 1945
Shepherd was flying MV266 when he downed his last four kills in spring 1945. His final score was eight aircraft destroyed and five shared destroyed, one and one shared probably destroyed, two and one shared damaged and seven V1s destroyed.

Mk IXC BR581/V-SH of Sqn Ldr Wilfred Duncan-Smith, OC of No 64 Sqn, Hornchurch, August 1942
One of the first Mk IXs issued to the RAF, BR581 was lost during the Dieppe operations on 19 August 1942 when shot down by return fire from a Do 217 - Duncan-Smith had already mortally wounded the bomber by this stage. Its pilot baled out and he was rescued from the sea by naval patrol boat. Duncan-Smith shot down three and claiming a further two shared kills in BR581.

Mk IXC BR600/Z-SH of Pit Off Donald Kingaby of No 64 Sqn, Hornchurch, July 1942
Kingaby was flying BR600 on 30 July 1942 when he downed the first kill to fall to a Mk IX, as detailed in chapter 1. Built on the same production run as BR581, BR600 survived many a scrape during the remaining war years only to be sold for scrap, along with EN398/JE-J and dozens of other combat veterans, in November 1949.

F VIII JF502/QJ-F of Fit Lt Eddie' Edwards of No 92 Sqn, Marcianise, Italy, early 1944
Canadian Edwards total stood at 15 aircraft destroyed and 3 shared destroyed, 8 and 1 shared probably destroyed and 13 damaged, 9 destroyed on the ground and 5 damaged on the ground. Most of his kills were scored in 1942/43 while flying Kittyhawks over North Africa, although he did claim three and two shared in Mk Vllls.

Mk IX MH934/HN-C of W/T Bobby Bunting of No 93 Sqn, Lago, Italy, in February 1944
Bunting's autobiography is given in chapter 7. His mount wore his personal insignia beneath the cockpit, and it was in this machine that he shot down four aircraft and damaged a fifth.

Mk IX MA766/GO-F of Sqn Ldr Russell Foskett, OC No 94 Sqn, LG147/Bu Amud, Cyrenaica, June 1944
Foskett's full history is also given in chapter 7. He used MA766 to claim his final kill - a Ju 52m3 on D-Day - and it was written off by another pilot-barely a month later.

Mk IX MA481/JU-0 of Fig Off Irving 'Hap' Kennedy of No 111 Sqn, Falcone, Sicily, September 1943
Canadian Kennedy was flying this machine on the 10 September kill described in chapter 4. His eventual score was 10 aircraft destroyed, 5 shared destroyed and 1 probably destroyed. At the time of the action this Spitfire was brand new, having been delivered only a few days earlier. It went on to enjoy a remarkably long combat career of nearly 20 months before it was lost on operations in April 1945.

F VII MD139/ON-W of Fig Off Walter Hibbert of No 124 Sqn, Bradwell Bay, June 1944
MD139 was used by Hibbert when he shared in the destruction of a Bf 109 over France on 12 June 1944. His final score stood at four aircraft destroyed and two shared destroyed, two damaged in the air and two more on the ground.

LF IX ML214/5J-K of Sqn Ldr John Plagis, OC No 126 Sqn, Culmhead, July 1944
Plagis was flying this aircraft when he shot down a Bf 109G over France on 24 July 1944 - two other kills and a half share also fell to its guns whilst flown by Plagis. Earlier, he flew Spitfire Mk Vs over Malta with Nos 249 and 185 Sqns, then with No 64 Sqn in the UK. At the end of the war his score stood at 15 aircraft destroyed and 2 shared destroyed, 2 shared probably destroyed, 6 damaged and 1 shared damaged.

Mk IX MA621/DV-A of Fit Lt F Tony' Gaze of No 129 Sqn, Hornchurch, August 1943
Gaze was flying this aircraft on 17 August 1943 when he shot down an Fw 190 near Antwerp. His full biography is given in chapter 7. MA621 was later issued to No 332 Sqn, before finding its way to an Air Service Training unit in March 1944, where it was written off in a crash in July 1945.

F VII MD120/NX-O of Sqn Ldr James O'Meara, OC No 131 Sqn, Colerne, March 1944
Battle of Britain pilot O'Meara flew with Nos 64, 72, and 91 Sqns, before assuming command of No 131 Sqn in March 1943 - he failed to score with this unit, however.His tally stood at 11 aircraft destroyed and 2 shared destroyed, 4 probably destroyed, 11 and 1 shared damaged.

Mk XIVE RN133/FF-B of Sqn Ldr Kenneth Charney, OC No 132 Sqn, Madura, India, August 1945
Charney's kills came either during his tour on Mk Vs on Malta with No 185 Sqn in 1942, or two years later on Mk IXs in the UK with Nos 602 and 132 Sqns. His final score was six aircraft destroyed, four probably destroyed and seven damaged.

Mk IX EN459/ZX-1 of Fit Lt Eugeniusz Horbaczewski of the Polish Fighting Team, attached to No 145 Sqn, Tunisia, spring 1943
Horbaczewski was shot down and killed by Fw 190s on 18 August 1944 in a Mustang III, his score standing at 16 aircraft destroyed and 1 shared destroyed, 1 probably destroyed and 1 damaged. Most were scored in Mk VBs and IXs in 1942/43.

Mk IX EN315/ZX-6 of Sqn Ldr Stanislaw Skalski, OC of the Polish Fighting Team attached to No 145 Sqn, Tunisia, spring 1943
Skalski opened his score over Poland in 1939 when he was credited with six kills. During the Battle of Britain he flew Hurricanes with No 501 Sqn, then went on to fly Spitfires with Nos 306 and 316 Sqns. He was given command of a Mustang III Wing in mid-1944. By May 1945 his score stood at 21 (some say 24) aircraft destroyed, 1 probably destroyed, and 5 damaged. Skalski claimed three kills and one damaged with the PFT.

Mk IXC BS451/RF-M of Sqn Ldr Jan Falkowski, OC No 303 Sqn, Northolt, June 1943
Falkowski first flew Hurricanes with No 32 Sqn, then went to Spitfire Mk lis and Vs with No 315 Sqn. By VE-Day he had scored nine aircraft destroyed and one probably destroyed - two and one probable were scored whilst flying Mk IXs.

HF IX ML296/DU-N of Fit Lt Otto Smik of No 312 Sqn, Lympne, September 1944
Smik flew with Nos 122 and 222 Sqns in 1943, scoring a number of victories during this time. In November 1944 he was downed by flak and killed, his score then standing at eight aircraft destroyed, two shared destroyed, two probably destroyed, and three damaged, plus three V1s destroyed.

Mk IX BS167/FN-D of Fit Lt Ragnar Dogger of No 331 Sqn, North Weald, July 1943
Dogger was flying BS167 when he damaged a Bf 109 over France on 1 July 1943. A Norwegian, he spent the whole of his operational career with this unit flying Mk IXs and IXBs. By May 1945 Dogger's score stood at six aircraft destroyed and one damaged. BS167 later served with No 229 Sqn, and it was lost whilst flying with this unit on 11 June 1944 on a sweep over Normandy.

Mk IXC BS248/AH-0 of Sgt Ola Aanjesen of No 332 Sqn, North Weald, summer 1943
Commissioned later in 1943, Aanjesen rose to command No 332 Sqn in April 1945. At the end of the war his score stood at five aircraft destroyed and one shared destroyed, one damaged, one V1 destroyed and one shared destroyed on the ground - all on Mk IXs. The unit badge appears under the cockpit of this aircraft.

Mk IX BS393/GW-Z of Lt Michel Boudier of No 340 Sqn, Biggin Hill, October 1942
Boudier was flying this aircraft when he damaged an Fw 190 over the English Channel on 27 October 1942 - he downed another Fw 190 in BS393 two months later. Later in the war this Frenchman flew with No 341 Sqn, with whom he was shot down and wounded on D-Day over Normandy. Despite determined efforts to avoid capture he was made a PoW three weeks later. At that time his score stood at eight aircraft destroyed and seven damaged.

Mk IX BS538/NL-B of Sgt Pierre Clostermann of No 341 Sqn, Biggin Hill, June 1943
The Frenchman was flying this converted Mk V when he damaged a Bf 109 over France on 17 June 1943, thus opening his tally. His claim of 33 kills is refuted by historians who have studied official records. Some scores in which he claimed shares were downed by others in his unit when Clostermann, though in the area, did not fire his guns. According to the most figures his score was 11 aircraft shot down (plus possibly 7 more), with 2 (plus possibly 3 more) probably destroyed, 9 damaged and 2 destroyed on the ground.

Mk XIVE SM825/MN-M of Sqn Ldr Harold Walmsley, OC No 350 Sqn, Celle, Germany, April 1945
On both 24 and 25 April 1945 Walmsley shot down Fw 190s in SM825 over Germany. By war's end his tally stood at 11 aircraft destroyed and 1 shared destroyed, 1 probably destroyed, 4 damaged and 2 destroyed on the ground.

FR XIVE RM785/T of Sqn Ldr William Klersy, OC No 401 Sqn, Wunstorf, Germany, May 1945
RM785 was a fighter-recce version with the oblique camera mounted to look sideways from the starboard side of the fuselage. One of the top scorers in the RCAF, and also in the 2 TAF during the period from D-Day to the end of the war, Klersy was killed in a flying accident in RM785 shortly after VE-Day. His score then stood at 14 aircraft destroyed in the air, 2 destroyed on the ground, 1 shared destroyed and 3 damaged, all on Mk IXs.

LF IX ML420/KH-D of Fit Lt James Lindsay of No 403 Sqn, Tangmere, June 1944
On 26 June 1944 Lindsay damaged a Bf 109 over Normandy in ML420. A Canadian, he flew F-86s in Korea in 1952 and was credited with two MiG-15s kills and two damaged. His score was eight aircraft destroyed (six in WW 2) and one shared destroyed, and eight damaged (six in WW 2).

LF IXE RR201/DB-A of Fit Lt Dick Audet of No 411 Sqn, Heesch, Holland, December 1944
This was the LF IXE flown by Audet during the remarkable sortie on 29 December 1945, detailed in chapter 6. By January 31 he had doubled his score, but was killed on 3 March 1945 when he was downed by flak after strafing a railway siding. His final score was 10 aircraft destroyed and 1 shared destroyed, 1 aircraft damaged and 1 destroyed on the ground.

LF VIM JF469/AN-M of Fit Lt Albert Houle of No 417 Sqn, Gioia del Colle, Italy, October 1943
Houle was flying JF469 on 4 October 1943 when he shot down an Fw 190 of III./SKG 10, and damaged two others, east of Rome. Canadian Houle had flown Hurricanes IICs over the Western Desert with No 213 Sqn. By war's end his score was 11 aircraft destroyed and 1 shared destroyed, 1 probably destroyed and 7 damaged.

Mk IX BS152/AU-P of Sqn Ldr Robert McNair OC No 421 Sqn, Kenley, June 1943
McNair downed an Fw 190 over France on 24 June 1943 in BS152. A Canadian, by war's end his score was 16 aircraft destroyed, 5 probably destroyed and 14 damaged.

LF IXB MK399/9G-K of Fit Lit Frederick Wilson of No 441 Sqn, Westhampnett, May 1944
Wilson was flying MK339 when he downed an Fw 190 over France on 5 May 1944. Also a Canadian, he flew Hurricanes with No 80 Sqn over Syria and with No 213 Sqn over the Western Desert. At the end of the war his score stood at eight aircraft destroyed and one shared destroyed, two probably destroyed, five damaged in the air, and four destroyed on the ground.

Mk IXB MK321/2I-H of Sqn Ldr Henry McLeod, OC No 443 Sqn, Westhampnett, April 1944
Yet another RCAF ace, McLeod's biography is given in chapter 4. He shot down a Do 217 in MK321 on 19 April 1944 - six days later it too was lost when it ran out of fuel and belly landed at Puddleton, Dorset.

Mk IXB EN522/FU-F of Sqn Ldr John Ratten, OC No 453 Sqn, Hornchurch, April 1943 On 8 April 1943 Ratten damaged an Fw 190 over France in EN522. An Australian, he continued to fly this aircraft with the same markings, but with a Wing Commander's pennant on the fuselage, following promotion to that rank in May, and his appointment as leader of the Hornchurch Wing. Killed in action in February 1945, his final score stood at two aircraft destroyed and two shared destroyed, one shared probably destroyed, and two damaged. EN522 started life as a Mk V and was converted to Mk IX standard by Rolls-Royce, hence the non-standard nose camouflage.

LF IX MJ239/LO-B of Fit Lt Kenneth Charney of No 602 Sqn, Longues, Normandy, July 1944
Charney shot down an Fw 190 near Lisieux on 14 July 1944 in this Spitfire.

LF VIII JG559/AF-N of Fit Lt Wilfred Goold of No 607 Sqn, Imphal, May 1944
This is the aircraft in which Goold shot down a Ki 43 'Oscar' and damaged two others over Palel on 18 May 1944. His details are given in chapter 7.

Mk XIV RB159/DW-D of Sqn Ldr R Newbery, OC No 610 Sqn, West Mailing, 1944
While commanding the unit in the 'Diver' summer of 1944, Newbery was credited with the destruction of seven V1s over Kent in this Mk XIV.

Mk IX BS435/FY-F of Sqn Ldr Hugo Armstrong, OC No 611 Sqn, Biggin Hill, February 1942
Australian Armstrong's favourite Mk IX, he enjoyed success in BS435 (three confirmed and two probables) prior to being killed in it on 5 February 1943 after being bounced over the Channel by eight Fw 190s of ll./JG 26. Armstrong's biography is given in chapter 7.

LF IX EN572/FY-H of Fit Lt John Checketts of No 611 Sqn, Biggin Hill, May 1943
Checketts gained most of his score in EN572, a Rolls-Royce-converted Mk V. A NewZealander, Checketts was shot down in this aircraft over France on 6 September 1943, but was smuggled back to England seven weeks later - he returned to the frontline in mid-1944. Varying sources give different figures for his score at war's end: between 13 and 15 aircraft destroyed, 2 or 3 probably destroyed and 8 damaged, plus 2 V1s destroyed.

Mk IX MA419/N-V of Fit Lt Warren Schrader of No 1435 Sqn, Brindisi, Italy, December 1943
Schrader was flying MA419 on 17 December 1943 when he downed two Bf 109Gs off the Albanian coast. Formed from No 1435 Fit at Luqa, Malta, the unit's number was allocated unofficially, as was its identification letter V. By the end of the war Kiwi Schrader had claimed 11 aircraft destroyed and 2 shared destroyed, and 4 destroyed on the ground.

Mk IX BF273 of Fig Off Emanuel Galitzine of the High Altitude Flight, Northolt, September 1942
Galitzine's combat in BF273 is described in chapter 1. The Mk IX had been specially modified for operations at altitude, and had the machine guns, armour and other unnecessary items removed. It was painted in a non-standard scheme.

Mk VIII CM-M of Lt Col Charles Sandy' McCorkle, OC 31st FG, US 12th Air Force, Castel Volturno, Italy, January 1944
McCorkle's score stood at three aircraft destroyed at this point. Later, the 31st FG rec-eived with Mustangs, and by the end of the war his tally was 11 victories, 5 while flying Spitfires.

Mk VIM HL X of Lt Leland Molland, 308th FS, 31st FG, US 12 Air Force, Castel Volturno, Italy, January 1944
The white swastika under the cockpit denoted his confirmed victory at that time and the five black ones probable kills. By war's end his score was 11V2 victories, 4 of them while flying Spitfires.

F VIII JF626/AX-W of Maj Henry Gaynor, No 1 Sqn SAAF, Italy, December 1943
Gaynor, a South African, claimed the last of his five kills in this aircraft on 2 December 1943 when he downed an Fw 190. A veteran of North Africa, he flew with the same unit from 1942 until his death in a flying accident in March 1944 - he hit a high tension cable during a low-level sweep of Italy. Gaynor was OC at No 1 Sqn at the time.[/color]

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