24.01.2009, 12:47
Great Spitfire skins Kristorf!!
Just to add a little more to what Stratodog posted;
The codes on the sides of the Spitfires were not only used as an aircraft ID but would also signify to the ground crews where that specific Spitfire was to be sheltered on the ground after landing.
Since Malta was under almost continuous attack or observation and the Axis usually had a very good idea of when new aircraft would be deploying to the island, ground crews would prepare an aircraft pen and have the newly arrived aircraft ready to fly in a matter of minutes in case the island was attacked upon the arrival of the new Spitfires.
A member of each aircraft pen team would wait near the runway until his specific marked Spitfire would land before hopping onto the wing and directing the pilot (Who'd probably never even heard of Malta before!) where his aircraft pen was. Once the aircraft was sheltered, it would be immediately be refuelled and a new (Local) pilot would hop into the cockpit ready to start and take off at a moments notice. One would also have to take into account that the bases at Luqa, Gudja, Safi, and Hal Far were inter connected with taxiways and the aircraft shelters (Spitfire Pens) were scattered all along these routes to make attacking them harder for the enemy.
This quick turn around could usually be done in under 10 minutes!!
This same procedure would be used with aircraft returning from combat over or around the island thus helping insure that the Spitfires were never caught on the ground.
The above info was detailed to me by the curator of the Malta Aviation Museum.
Just to add a little more to what Stratodog posted;
The codes on the sides of the Spitfires were not only used as an aircraft ID but would also signify to the ground crews where that specific Spitfire was to be sheltered on the ground after landing.
Since Malta was under almost continuous attack or observation and the Axis usually had a very good idea of when new aircraft would be deploying to the island, ground crews would prepare an aircraft pen and have the newly arrived aircraft ready to fly in a matter of minutes in case the island was attacked upon the arrival of the new Spitfires.
A member of each aircraft pen team would wait near the runway until his specific marked Spitfire would land before hopping onto the wing and directing the pilot (Who'd probably never even heard of Malta before!) where his aircraft pen was. Once the aircraft was sheltered, it would be immediately be refuelled and a new (Local) pilot would hop into the cockpit ready to start and take off at a moments notice. One would also have to take into account that the bases at Luqa, Gudja, Safi, and Hal Far were inter connected with taxiways and the aircraft shelters (Spitfire Pens) were scattered all along these routes to make attacking them harder for the enemy.
This quick turn around could usually be done in under 10 minutes!!
This same procedure would be used with aircraft returning from combat over or around the island thus helping insure that the Spitfires were never caught on the ground.
The above info was detailed to me by the curator of the Malta Aviation Museum.