KITS 06/2022

Lt. John Anderson, 5th FS, 52nd FG, 12th AF, La Sabala,

Tunisia, February 1944

The 52nd FG Spitfires flew within 12th AF until April

1944 when the unit became part of 15th AF fighting in

the Mediterranean till the end of WWII. John Anderson's Spitfire sported a non-standard camouflage on

the upper surfaces in three colors - Dark Earth, Middle Stone and Dark Green. The similar camouflage

scheme was applied to several other Spitfires from

this group as well as the field-installed desert filter.

On February 14, 1944 Anderson scored two kills flying

this aircraft.

F/O James H. Montgomery, 4th FS, 52nd FG,

12th AF, Corsica, August 1943

F/O James Henry Montgomery was one of many American Spitfire pilots fighting in the Mediterranean within 12th AF. On August 6, 1943 he was shot down over

the Mediterranean Sea near Palermo by a German

Messerschmitt and spent a whole day in a lifeboat

using his knife to debone fish to eat. The story of his

shot down and survival made it to the nationwide

news in the United States and he was nicknamed

"Robinson Crusoe from Heavens". He was not that

lucky next time. On February 9, 1944 near the port

of Nice four Spitfires were jumped by a pack of Fw

190s. A pair of Fw 190s targeted Montgomery's Spitfi-

re which received the direct hit and burst in flames.

F/O Montgomery flew Spitfires named "The Impatient

Virgin" sporting pinup girl nose art.

JK448, No. 352 (Yugoslav) Squadron, Vis,

Yugoslavia, September 1944

No. 352 (Yugoslav) Squadron was the first Yugoslav

fighter unit formed in the Mediterranean within Royal

Air Force during WWII. This unit was also known as

Prva eskadrila NOVJ. In June it was re-equipped with

Spitfires Mk.Vb/Vc and in August it was transferred

to Italy to join No. 281 Wing RAF and provide escorts

to the fighter-bomber squadrons. From January 25,

58

INFO Eduard

1945 it operated from the forward air base on Vis Island. Due to the Luftwaffe absence Yugoslav Spitfires

had little opportunities for the air combat and for the

rest of the war they flew anti ground attack missions. Spitfire JK448 carried the type "A" Day Fighter

Scheme on the upper surfaces with a non-standard,

reversed color pattern. The propeller spinner and fu-

selage band in front of the tail surfaces were in Sky

color. The Vokes filter starboard side carried the red

inscription "OSVETNIK 5. OFANZIVE.

June 2022