KITS 06/2021

P8505, Sgt. Eric S. Dicks-Sherwood, No. 266 (Rhodesia) Squadron, RAF Wittering, Cambridgeshire, United Kingdom, September 1941

Rhodesian Eric „Dickie“ Dicks-Sherwood commenced his service at No. 266 RAF Rhodesian Squadron in the summer of 1941 with the rank of

Sergeant. In November he was promoted to Pilot Officer and transferred to No. 603 Squadron with which he sailed to Malta on board of USS

Wasp aircraft carrier. Later he fought in Northern Africa and Italy. During the conflict he was credited with 2 shared and 5 individual victories.

On September 15, 1941, he flew as a wingman to the Wittering Wing commander W/Cdr Jameson (RNZAF) on one of the Rhubarb missions

against the De Kooy airport in the Netherlands. Over the ocean they were attacked by four Bf 110 from 5./ZG 76. Dicks-Sherwood claimed

one enemy aircraft damaged, W/Cdr. Jameson claimed one shot down. In fact none of the enemy aircraft participating in the combat

sustained any damage. P8505 sported the coat of arms of the city

of Stamford on the port side of the fuselage and name Eva III

on the starboard side.

P8533, S/Ldr. Percival S. Turner, CO of No. 145 Squadron, RAF Catterick, North Yorkshire, United Kingdom, October 1941

Canadian Percival Stanley Turner, a fighter ace of the Battle of Britain credited with 10 kills, was commanding No. 145 Squadron from April

till October 1941. On August 30, 1941, his Spitfire Mk.IIb P8533 was handed over to No. 145 Squadron by No. 222 Squadron. The aircraft carried the newly introduced standard Day Fighter Scheme with upper surfaces in Dark Green and Ocean Grey and lower surfaces in Medium

Sea Grey. The code letters were in Sky color as well as the fuselage band and propeller spinner. The Squadron Leader pennant was painted

on the fuselage port side below the windshield. On December 8, 1941, this aircraft was handed over to No. 132 Squadron. It was equipped

with de Havilland 5/39A constant speed propeller, same as the majority of Spitfires Mk.IIb.

P8348, No. 52 OTU, RAF Debden, Essex, United Kingdom, Summer 1943

In the beginning of 1942 the majority of Spitfires Mk.II was withdrawn from the combat units and replaced by new Spitfires Mk.Vb. The

surviving aircraft were assigned to the training units, Operational Training Units-OTU. Surprisingly they served there for quite a long time, for

example this P8348, initially manufactured as Mk.IIa in April 1941, was struck off charge as late as September 25, 1945. Presented here as

it appeared in the summer 1943 when it was overhauled and then served with No. 52 OTU, it carries the standard Day Fighter Scheme camouflage and new national insignia introduced in May 1942. There is a donation inscription BRITISH AND FRIENDS EX JAPAN on the fuselage

nose and the propeller is typical for Spitfires Mk.IIb, de Havilland 5/39A constant speed.

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INFO Eduard - June 2021