Strana 44
P8084, F/Lt James J. O´Meara DFC, No. 64 Squadron, RAF Drem,
United Kingdom, September - October 1941
P7542, S/Ldr Adolph G. Malan, CO of No. 74 Squadron, RAF Biggin Hill,
United Kingdom, December 1940-March 1941
This Spitfire Mk.IIa from No. 64 Squadron carried
the then new Day Fighter Scheme camouflage,
introduced by Air Ministry order of August 19,
1941. After this date, RAF Fighter Command’s
day fighters were painted Dark Green and
Ocean Grey (Mixed Grey) on the upper surfaces
and Medium Sea Grey on the lower surfaces.
The code letters were in Sky, and the fuselage
belt and propeller cone were also the same color.
The aircraft sported the donation inscription
GARFIELD WESTON SVI on both sides of the tank
cover. The thirteen kill symbols belonged to
F/Lt James O’Meara, who began his combat
career in the ranks of No. 64 Squadron over
Dunkirk in May 1940, then served with other
units from late August 1940 before rejoining
No. 64 Squadron in April 1941. In October he
was released from combat operations and
transferred to No. 1491 Squadron, which was
towing targets in Tain. He later commanded
a Wing of high altitude fighter Spitfires of the
Mk.VII version. His total wartime score was
11 confirmed kills plus two in cooperation,
one unconfirmed and four probable kills. To this
he added 11 damaged aircraft alone and one in
co-operation.
No. 74 Squadron was among the first Fighter
Command units rearmed in September 1940
with the new Mk.II Spitfires. Under the command
of Adolph “Sailor” Malan, it became one of the
most successful RAF squadrons ever in the
Battle of Britain. Malan himself was an elite
fighter ace and, with eight kills, one of the
most successful pilots flying the Mk.II version.
His second Mk.IIa Spitfire was s/n P7542, which
bore the standard Temperate Land Scheme
livery with the lower surfaces in Sky, except
for the left wing which was black underneath.
It was a quick identification item used by the
RAF from December 1940 to March 1941. At the
end of March 1941, Malan took command of the
newly established Biggin Hill Wing and took
over the new Spitfire Mk.Vb. During the war he
scored 34 kills, seven of which were shared,
three probable, plus 16 enemy aircraft damaged.
KITS 04/2025
INFO Eduard44
April 2025