Markings for Spitfire F Mk.IX 1/48
COL A
EN315, S/Ldr. Stanislav Skalski, Polish Combat Team, No. 145 Squadron, Northern Africa, Spring 1943
This aircraft was one of ten Spitfires flown by Polish pilots in the north African sky. The independent unit was called the Polish Combat Team. Stanislav Skalski, the famous fighter pilot with eighteen kills to his credit, acted as Squadron Leader for the Team. He was one of the pilots who flew this aircraft. Six swastikas on the fuselage probably symbolize the victories achieved by various pilots while flying the Spitfire. The desert camouflage scheme consisted of Mid Stone and Dark Earth uppersides and Azure Blue undersides.
COL B
EN133, No. 611 Squadron, RAF Biggin Hill, The United Kingdom, Early 1943
This Spitfire flew for the first time on November 16, 1942, and its first and only known affiliation is with No. 611 Squadron, RAF. Among squadron members who were entrusted with this aircraft was Franz Ferdinand Colloredo Mansfeld, a member of Austrian nobility and a US citizen (three confirmed kills and four probable). The EN133 was destroyed on March 14, 1943, during an attack on Abbeville airfield in France (operation Ramrod 188), when Spitfires clashed with Fw 190s from JG26. W/Cdr. James H. Slater, the CO of No. 453 Sqdn RAAF, was killed in this combat when in cockpit of EN133.
COL C
BS392, S/Ldr. Bernard Dupérier, CO of No. 340 Squadron, RAF Biggin Hill, The United Kingdom, Autumn 1942
Bernard Dupérier, the CO of No. 340 Squadron, instructed ground personnel to paint the Donald Duck artwork on several of his aircraft. Besides this Spitfire, the artwork was applied to his Douglas DB-7 and Spitfire Mk.Vb, BM324. As the CO’s aircraft it was marked with a pennant brushed on the fuselage and with the Lorraine Cross, which was used by Free French Squadrons. The Ocean Grey camouflage color seems to be quite light in B&W photos. Probably a non-standard mix of paint was used while Ocean Grey was not temporarily available in sufficient quantities. Dupérier, an ace credited with seven victories, took command of No. 340 Squadron on April 10, 1942. That day, previous CO Phillipe de Scitivaux, was downed and captured by the enemy. Dupérier flew this Spitfire rarely in the period from October 25 to November 7, 1942. Later on, he became the CO of No. 341 Squadron and after the war was active in politics as supporter of General de Gaulle. Spitfire BS392 was used by various units, its fate being sealed on September 9, 1944. A member of No. 310 Squadron, Sgt. Vojtech Skreka-Baudoin, overran the runway during a landing maneuver and BS392 had to be written off.
COL D
EN354, 1st Lt. Leonard V. Helton, 52nd FG, 4th FS, La Sebala, Tunis, June 1943
The US Army Air Force was one of the Spitfire MK.1X operators in the Mediterranean Theatre of Operations. The 52nd Fighter Group flew Spitfires till March/April 1944 when it was rearmed with P-51 Mustangs. The Group came to northern Africa as a part of the invading Allied forces during Operation Torch that was launched on November 8, 1942. The British camouflage is topped up with US national insignia. At least one British roundel was left on the left wing underside. The former markings were overpainted with fresh colors that seem to be darker than the rest of the camouflage. The new code letters were added. The yellow outline of the national insignia was applied during Operation Torch to distinguish US aircraft and frequently seen in the Mediterranean during the following months.
COL E
Cpt. Harry Barr, 309th FS, 31st FG, 12th AF, Italy, December 1943
The first USAAF unit to engage in combat outside England from August 1942 was the 31st Fighter Group. At the end of 1942, it was sent from England to North Africa. Captain Harry Barr served within the 31st Fighter Group with the 309th Fighter Squadron, armed with Spitfires Mk. IX. In his personal Spitfire named Skipper he achieved two victories (Me 109 and Fw 190). When the 31st Fighter Group was forced to switch to P-51 aircraft in the spring of 1944, it was much to the displeasure of the pilots. Harry Barr had completed the number of missions (98) that entitled him to return to the United States at that time and until the end of the war he served as an instructor for P-47 pilots.
COL F
BS119, P/O D.R. Morrison, No. 401 squadron RCAF, RAF Biggin Hill, United Kingdom, August 1942
Donald Morrison was born on June 2, 1921, in Toronto, Ontario and joined the RCAF in October 1940. In July 1941, he completed his training and left for Great Britain. He was assigned to No. 122 Squadron and two months later to No. 401 Squadron RCAF, where he quickly began to make a name for himself. By the end of February 1942, he had achieved three confirmed kills. On August 19, 1942, he was shot down during a dogfight with an Fw 190, bailed out of his damaged aircraft and parachuted into the English Channel, from where he was rescued. During the rescue operation, he operated machine guns on the boat and fired at attacking enemy aircraft. On November 8, he was shot down again, captured and seriously wounded by shrapnel. German doctors were forced to amputate his leg. Due to his disability, he was repatriated back to Great Britain and returned to Canada in November. In May 1944, Morrison became an instructor with No. 20 EFTS. He left the RCAF on March 14, 1945. In 1947, he returned to Great Britain and joined the RAF, where he served until 1951. He later worked for Trans Canadian Airways. In total, he had seven confirmed kills during his wartime career, including three shared kills, four probable kills, and five damaged aircraft. Sgt Don Morrison had the character Jiggs, created by cartoonist George McManus, drawn on every aircraft he regularly flew with No. 401 Squadron.