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MJ671, Cpt. Michael Boudier, No. 341 Squadron, RAF Selsey,
Great Britain, June–July 1944
ML214, S/Ldr John A. Plagis, No. 126 Squadron, RAF Harrowbeer,
Great Britain, June–July 1944
No. 341 Squadron was under the command of
Capt. Michael Boudier as part of No. 145 (Free
French) Wing operating with 2TAF from Merson
Airfield with Spitfire Mk.IXC aircraft. With seven
kills achieved in the ranks of Nos. 340 and 341
Squadron between 1942 and 1943, Boudier was
by then a well-known fighter ace. Spitfire MJ671,
which Boudier flew regularly from February 19,
1944, sported his personal emblem, a drawing of
Popeye the Sailor smashing a swastika with his
fist on the left side of the engine cowling. With the
MJ671, Boudier participated in all pre-invasion
and invasion actions of the Wing. His fateful day
was July 9, 1944, when No. 341 Squadron clashed
with Luftwaffe fighters. Boudier, flying a reserve
aircraft, shot down a Bf 109 in the ensuing battle,
but the next moment his own aircraft was
accidentally shot down by an American P-47 pilot.
Boudier was rescued by parachute and, although
wounded in the leg, managed to evade German
patrols, and walk 14 kilometers before contacting
the Resistance. Three weeks later, however, he
was arrested by the Gestapo in Rouen. He was
imprisoned in poor conditions and sentenced to
death after three months. However, his resolute
and military attitude impressed the Germans, and
he was eventually imprisoned in Germany, where
he was liberated on April 29, 1945.
John Agorastos “Johnny” Plagis was the most
successful Greek pilot of the Second World War.
His greatest successes came during the defense
of the island of Malta in 1942, where he was one
of the first Spitfire pilots to take off from HMS
Eagle on March 6, 1942. In June he became
Squadron Leader of No. 185 Squadron and scored
12 kills during the fighting over Malta. After
returning to Britain and recovering, he became
Squadron Leader of No. 64 Squadron in April 1943.
In mid-June 1944 he took command of No. 126
Squadron and during the invasion days of July
and August he scored his last three confirmed
kills. His personal Spitfire Mk.IXc ML214 5J
-
K,
which he flew with No. 126 Squadron, bore, like
his previous Spitfires, his sister Kay’s name
under the front plate, the symbols of kills and
the narrow invasion stripes intended for high-
altitude fighter aircraft. No. 126 Squadron was
formed in Malta in June 1941 by renumbering
No. 46 Squadron. The squadron operated in
Malta during the Axis offensives of late 1941 and
1942. In 1943 it continued to support the invasion
of Sicily and for the rest of the year performed
defensive duties with the Coastal Air Force.
In April 1944 came the move to the UK where the
unit, fully rearmed with Spitfires Mk.IXC, joined
the ADGB, where it gradually became part of the
wings from Culmhead, Harrowbeer and Bradwell
Bay. In December, No. 126 Squadron moved to
Bentwaters, where it became part of the Wing
of long-range Mustangs, to which the unit was
subsequently rearmed.
49639 Spitfire Mk.IXc (PE
-
Set)
49674 Spitfire MK.IXc late Weekend (PE
-
Set)
FE840 Spitfire Mk.IX seatbelts STEEL (PE
-
Set)
644008 Spitfire Mk.IX late LööK (Brassin)
648100 Spitfire Mk.IX cockpit (Brassin)
648112 Spitfire Mk.IX engine (Brassin)
648113 Spitfire Mk.IX gun bay (Brassin)
648306 Spitfire Mk.IX top cowl late (Brassin)
648748 Spitfire Mk.IX landing flaps PRINT (Brassin)
3DL48029 Spitfire Mk.IXc late version SPACE (3D Decal Set)
EX413 Spitfire Mk.IXc Weekend (Mask)
Recommended: for
Spitfire mk.IXc late 1/48
KITS 05/2024
INFO Eduard
79
May 2024