KITS 06/2022
MA654, F/Lt Kevin F. Gannon, No. 615 Squadron,
Palel, India, July 1944
Kevin Francis Gannon was born on February 10, 1920
in Mareeba, Queensland. Before the war he served in
police as a cadet. On October 11, 1940 he enlisted in
the RAAF and after he finished his training he was
dispatched to No. 615 Squadron in Burma. From November 1943 till June 1944 he scored two confirmed
kills of the Japanese aircraft, one probable and three
damaged. He achieved his last success flying Spit-
fire MA654 destroying Ki-43 Oscar fighter. Spitfires
supplied to India sported Day Fighter Scheme camouflage. Upon their arrival in India the Ocean Grey
pattern was oversprayed in Earth Brown.
BS295 (A58-20), W/Cdr Clive R. Caldwell,
No. 1 Wing RAAF, Strauss Airstrip,
Australia, March-June 1943
Clive "Killer" Caldwell was the most successful Australian pilot of WWII (28.5 kills). After his promotion
to command No. 1 Fighter Wing based in Darwin he
followed the RAF custom of the personal aircraft
identification. He flew three Spitfires Mk.Vc (BS295,
BS234 and JL394). Most of his seven victories over
Japanese aircraft were scored in BS295. The aircraft
carried the camouflage of Foliage Green/Dark Earth/
Azure Blue and the code letters were replaced with
pilot's name initials CR-C. Wing Commander flag was
painted under the canopy.
A58-145 (EE852), F/Lt Llewellyn Wettenhall,
No. 79 Squadron RAAF, Kiriwina,
Trobriand Islands, December 1943
Spitfire flown by F/Lt Llewellyn Wettenhall within
No. 79 Squadron RAAF in the fall of 1943 carried the
name "Nipponese" and girl's nose art on the port side.
On December 31, 1943 the pilot's fate was sealed in
60
INFO Eduard
this aircraft when it was lost crossing the south coast of New Britain during the scouting mission of six
Spitfires near this island. After crossing the coast
the formation entered the dense clouds and the unit
lost contact with its leader. F/Lt Wettenhall has never
been seen again.
June 2022