more Battle of Britain Spitfires

 

Unfortunately most Battle of Britain Spitfires carry 'standard' camo and markings that can be a little less interesting than pre-war or even post-BoB machines. R6623 from 64 Squadron was an exception. Flown by Flight Sergeant Jack Mann from RAF Kenley it is seen here in the scheme it wore on 12 August 1940 when he shot down a Bf 109 E and again the 14th when he damaged another. 

Note SH-Q's odd roundel and fin flash colours and the oddly proportioned roundel and fin flash which are also a lighter color of blue than the aircraft in the background.  The 'Q' also appears to be somewhat smaller  than the 'SH' codes. This was the 712th Spitfire built, delivered on 22 May 1940. She is very much a standard looking aircraft with the exception of the rear view mirror as noted above. Her lower surfaces were painted Sky, most likely obliterating all stencil data. This aircraft survived the Battle of Britain to eventually become an advanced trainer. and was lost in a mid-air collision in 1944.

Note that No. 64 Sqn's Spit Mk Is the squadron codes are aft of the roundel on both fuselage sides, possibly as a throwback to their brief time on Blenheims, as the squadron codes wouldn't fit ahead of the roundel. " I've even seen this carried through to some Mk Vs. I think that No. 234 Sqn did the same.." (research by Peter 'Basilisk' and Mark 'Lasermonkey').

A 64 Squadron Spitfire at Kenley during the Battle of Britain. Still from British Pathe Newsreel.

421 Flight was formed for the purpose of tracking and reporting on incoming raids approaching the UK the unit was commanded by Flight Lieutenant Charles Green, and flew out of RAF Hawkinge, Kent during November 1940. The Flight's aircraft retained the LZ code of 66 Squadron from whom it was formed, but added an additional small dash between the two letters, hence the reference to this aircraft as L-Z-I. Having originally served as part of dive testing at RAE Farnborough and then as L-Z-I as represented here, P7531 was passed to 91 Squadron in January 1941 when 421 Flight was expanded to become a full Squadron. Unfortunately only a rather poor picture exists of P7531.

Spitfire of 602 Sqn ace Pilot Officer Osgood Hanbury, who claimed a Bf 110 near Beachy Head on 15 September 1940, half a Ju 88 over Tangmere on 21 September and a 2nd Ju 88 on 30 September near Selsey-Bembridge at the controls of this machine. In December, the aircraft was passed to No 610 Squadron for a few month before becoming an OTU aircraft. It was struck off charge in January 1945. Markings featured the non-standard leading edge finish and a possible 'emblem' beneath the cockpit....my model build of this machine is here

 

54 Sqn machine KL-T was flown by Colin Gray and is shown "somewhere in Essex, 1940". The camouflage and marking scheme, along with the condition of the aircraft, date the photographs sometime between March and May 1940.

Colin Gray was a New Zealander with Grey flying as wingman to Deere and his KL-B. Both were Mk.I's with the Black/White underside markings. Gray went on to be NZ's highest scoring ace with 27 1/2 victories & only retired from the RAF in 1961.

54 Squadron Spitfire I's featured the more rounded spinner of the Rotol Constant Speed prop and bullet proof windscreens.