BM211, F/Lt John D. Mitchner, No. 402 Squadron RCAF, RAF Merston, United Kingdom, September–November 1943

John Mitchener was born in Saskatoon, Canada in 1914 and before he joined RCAF in October 1940 he had worked for three years as a bookseller. In June 1941 he finished his basic pilot training and after that, in the middle of August, he was transferred to Britain. In the beginning of September, he was assigned to No. 263 Squadron equipped with Whirlwinds where he flew until June 1942. After his brief instructor’s stunt at No. 55 OTU in July he was assigned to No. 247 Squadron and next month to No. 116 Squadron. In November he was transferred to No. 402 Squadron where, in the beginning of 1943, he scored his first victory. In October he was decorated with DFC and in February 1944 he completed his tour of duty. After his return to Canada, he served at Tealing and in August 1944 returned to Europe where he was attached to No. 421 Squadron as a flight leader. In the end of September, he was transferred to No. 416 Squadron and in November he assumed command of the whole unit. In 1946 he returned to Canada and continued his service with RCAF. In 1953 he became commander of Sylvestre and Lac St. Debis air bases and in 1960 he retired due to the health issues. He passed away on December 8, 1964. During his wartime career John Davidson Mitchner scored 11 confirmed kills and three probables. He also damaged three enemy aircraft. At No. 402 Squadron John Mitchner regularly flew Spitfire LF Mk. Vb BM211 coded AE-J in the fall of 1943. On the fuselage starboard side, the aircraft carried his personal nose art of sunbathing Miss Jane, a character from the Daily Mirror magazine. This Spitfire featured the newer exhausts introduced as the standard with Mk.IX version. Majority of the No. 402 Squadron Spitfires Mk.Vb were equipped with these exhausts since they helped improve the aircraft performance.

BL594, W/Cdr Alexandr Gabszewicz, No. 2 Polish Wing, RAF Northolt, United Kingdom, February–May 1943

BL594 was delivered to No. 242 Squadron in April 1942 but in May it was damaged in an accident, consequently repaired, and delivered to No. 303 (Polish) Squadron, at that time operating out of the Kirton-in-Lindsey airfield.

It was coded RF-G and assigned to F/O Horbaczewski as his personal mount. In the beginning of February 1943 No. 303 Squadron was transferred to Heston but BL594 was left at Kirton-in-Lindsey airfield assigned to No. 2 Polish Wing commander Alexandr Gabszewicz as his personal mount. His new Spitfire was re-painted to No. 302 (Polish) Squadron standards including the unit insignia. Gabszewicz had his personal score, seven and half black crosses, painted on the drop tank port side including the name “Smarkata” (which refers to the very young age of his fiancée, Elizabeth Helen Bullimore). In the beginning of June, No. 302 (Polish) Squadron was transferred to No. 1 Polish Wing in Heston and BL594 was left with No. 308 (Polish) Squadron. It was rebuilt to LF Mk.Vb standard and in January 1944 assigned to No. 234 Squadron. On May 9, 1944, BL594 was shot down by flak near Berck-sur-Mer. Its pilot, F/O D. N. Greenhalghem, bailed out however did not survive.

BL384, F/Lt John A. A. Gibson, No. 457 Squadron RAAF, RAF Andreas, United Kingdom, December 1941

On December 11, 1941, Sptfire BL351 was assigned to the Australian No. 457 Squadron. Initially P/O Ken James was frequently at its controls. Later this pilot was credited with 2.5 kills. In February 1942, BL351 was assigned to F/Lt John Gibson, a New Zealander who in 1940 claimed 11.5 kills while flying Hurricanes with No. 501 Squadron. Gibson had his personal marking, Donald Duck, painted on his new Spitfire, including all his confirmed aerial victories, 13.5 of them at that time. In March 1942, BL351 was transferred to No. 452 Squadron and ultimately destroyed in a ground collision on May 8 of the same year.

BM309, 2/Lt Robert A. Boock, 335th FS, 4th FG, Debden, United Kingdom, February 1943

During WWII the 4th Fighter Group was a component of the 8th USAAF. The group operated out of Debden airbase which gave it a nickname Debden Eagles. Between September 1940 and July 1941 three Eagle Squadrons were formed out of the American volunteer pilots before the United States entered WWII in December 1941. These units operated under the RAF command until September 29, 1942, when they formed the 4th FG of the 8th USAAF. The No. 71, No. 121 and No. 133 Squadron RAF became 334th, 335th and 336th FG of the USAAF. During the last large scale engagement of the 4th FG on January 22, 1943 2/Lt. Robert A. Boock from 335th FS flying Spitfire Mk.Vb BM309 shot down a Fw 190 North-West of Dunkerque. His Spitfire carried an unofficial 4th FG insignia on the starboard side of the engine cowling.