Markings for Spitfire Mk.Ia 1/48
COL A
R6709, P/O Colin F. Gray, RNZAF, No. 54 Squadron, RAF Hornchurch, United Kingdom, March 1940
Flown by P/O Colin Falkland Gray, R6709, coded KL-T, wore the standard RAF Temperate Land Scheme of Dark Green and Dark Earth on the upper surfaces, and White/Night lower surfaces. Type A fuselage roundels, Type B upper wing roundels and Mixed Grey code letters were carried. No roundels on the bottom surfaces. Note the Rotol constant speed propeller. This aircraft was equipped with an older TR.9B radio, with the wire antenna stretching between the antenna mast and fin tip. The antenna mast isolator was a little bit longer than the one used with the newer TR.9D radio. There was no rear mirror or head armor yet installed. Colin Gray got his first kill, a Bf 109E, on May 25, 1940, while escorting a Swordfish formation to bomb Gravelines. By early September he had claimed 14½ kills. He finished the war as Wing Commander with 27 kills, two shared, six probable and four shared probable kills. This score makes him the top scoring New Zealand fighter ace of the Second World War.
COL B
N3250, P/O Allan R. Wright, No. 92 Squadron, RAF Croydon, United Kingdom, late May/early June 1940
No. 92 Squadron received their first Spitfires in March 1940, replacing their Bristol Blenheim Mk.IFs. The squadron became operational on May 9, 1940. Interestingly, the unit’s Spitfires retained the pre-war GR codes until the end of July, when the switch was made to QJ. The code letters, as well as the fuselage Type A.1 roundels, look to be non-standard. The bottom wing surfaces were standard black/white, with the remainder of the bottom surfaces in aluminum. Type A roundels were added to the bottom surfaces during the Battle of France, being bordered in yellow on the left black painted wing. Note black aircraft code letter S painted on the bottom of the nose. Wire antenna was a component of the TR.9D radio that equipped this aircraft. It is believed that N3250 was flown by P/O Alan R. Wright, who flew his first combat mission on May 23, 1940. He claimed two Bf 110s damaged and another probably destroyed during this sortie over Dunkirk. The next day, Wright added a Bf 110 destroyed and one more probable. During WWII, he was credited with 11 confirmed kills.
COL C
R6690, P/O John C. Dundas, No. 609 Squadron, RAF Middle Wallop/RAF Warmwell, United Kingdom, August 1940
It is believed that this aircraft, serialled R6690 and coded PR-A, was flown by F/O John Dundas when he shot down a Ju 87B of 5./StG 2 west of Portland on August 13, 1940. While attacking another Stuka, Dundas was hit by defensive fire from the rear gunner, crippling the oil system of his engine, forcing him down at Warmwell Aerodrome. The aircraft was written off. Although the AM directive to paint blue/white/red roundels on the bottom surface of wings was already issued on August 11, No. 609 Squadron hadn’t put the order into practice as of the middle of August. The squadron´s aircraft wore the individual code letter, in this case A, painted in black on the bottom nose panel, which was painted in a light color, probably white. It is not certain if the rear-view mirror was installed at this time, but it is unlikely. The aircraft was equipped with a TR.9D radio with the wire antenna stretched between the antenna mast and the fin. The IFF device is not yet installed, and so no aerial wires are stretched between the fuselage sides and the horizontal tail.
COL D
R6835, F/O Brian J. Carbury, No. 603 Squadron, RAF Hornchurch, United Kingdom, late August 1940
Spitfire R6835 XT-W was flown by a New Zealander named Brian J. Carbury, who shot down two Bf 109Es on August 27, 1940, when No. 603 Squadron arrived at Hornchurch to replace the battle-weary No. 65 Squadron. He scored 15½ kills during the Battle of Britain. On August 31, 1940, he shot down five enemy aircraft over the span of three sorties, becoming one of two RAF ‘Ace in a Day’ pilots able to claim that status during the BoB. His aircraft carried the standard RAF Temperate Land Scheme consisting of Sky bottom surfaces. The blue/white/red roundels painted on the bottom surfaces were mandated by the Air Ministry on August 11, 1940. The aircraft was equipped with a TR.9D radio with the wire antenna stretching between the antenna mast and fin. The IFF device is not yet installed, explaining the absence of the associated aerial wires between the fuselage sides and the horizontal tail. No rear-view mirror was carried yet, nor was the head armor plating in the cockpit.
COL E
P9386, S/Ldr Brian J. Lane, CO of No. 19 Squadron, RAF Fowlmere, United Kingdom, September 1940
Spitfire P9386 arrived from No.7 OTU at Fowlmere as a replacement aircraft for the problem plagued, cannon armed Spitfire Mk.Ib on September 3, 1940. The yellow spinner appears to be the remnant of the OTU’s markings. This aircraft is an example of the final Battle of Britain camouflage and marking practice, with the small diameter version of the bottom surface roundels located near the wing tips. No stenciling is seen on the bottom surfaces. Note the aerial wire between the antenna mast and the fin. The IFF device is not yet carried. No hot air gun heating system under the wing tips could be seen, so it is possible that an electrical gun heating system was installed. Although the aircraft is referred to as being ‘somewhat poorly maintained’, it is also mentioned as a favorite of two famous members of No. 19 Squadron, F/Lt Walter Lawson and S/Ldr Brian Lane, who claimed a Stab II./ZG 2 Bf 110 on September 7, and another two Bf 110s on September 11, while Lawson claimed a Bf 110 on September 9, 1940.
COL F
X4253, P/O Wilfrid G. Duncan Smith, No. 611 Squadron, RAF Hornchurch, United Kingdom, February 1941
This Spitfire Mk.Ia, serialled X4253, illustrates the camouflage scheme and markings of Fighter Command aircraft in late 1940 and early 1941. The black painted (Night) left wing was ordered by the Air Ministry on November 27, 1940. The left wing roundel was then appropriately outlined in yellow. To improve recognition of friendly aircraft, an 18-inch wide Sky Blue fuselage band was added ahead of the tail, and the spinner was painted in the same colour. This paint was usually a little bit bluer than the standard under surface Sky. Some sources name this colour “Air Ministry Blue”. This aircraft was equipped with the new VHF TR.1133 radio and, as such, there is no aerial wire between the antenna mast and the fin tip. The R.3002 IFF device was carried, indicated by the two associated aerial wires stretching between the fuselage sides and the leading edges of the horizontal tail. Note the external rearview mirror, and the armor plating behind the pilot´s head was installed. This aircraft was flown by future ace P/O Wilfrid G. Duncan Smith, who joined No. 611 Squadron at RAF Hornchurch in October 1940 with the rank of Pilot Officer.
COL G
X4828, F/Lt Wojciech Kolaczkowski, No. 303 Squadron, RAF Speke, United Kingdom, September 1941
Spitfire Mk.Ia, carrying the serial X4828 and RF-K code, belonged to No. 303 (Polish) Squadron and is representative of the new Day Fighter Scheme, introduced on August 19, 1941. From that date, RAF day fighters were painted in Dark Green and Ocean Grey on the upper surfaces and Medium Sea Grey on the lower surfaces. The aircraft letters were by then changed to Sky, and the fuselage band and spinner remained in the same colour. Note the thin dark border around the letters and the stencil data inscriptions painted on the Ocean Grey surfaces, which are believed to be remnants of the original Dark Earth layer. No. 303 Squadron was moved to RAF Speke from RAF Norholt on July 17, 1941, leaving their Spitfire Mk.IIb aircraft behind to receive old war weary Mk.Is for training purposes. RF-K was flown by A Flight leader F/Lt Kolaczkowski, who was later No. 303 Squadron Leader from November 21, 1941 to May 7, 1942. The name ‘Vojtek’ is Kolaczkowski´s nickname and the name ‘Krysia’ was the nickname of his girlfriend Kristina. It is not known with certainty if these inscriptions were painted on the right side as well. No. 303 Squadron returned to Norholt on October 7, 1941 to be re-armed with the new Spitfire Mk.Vb and engaged the new German Fw 190As in intense combat on the other side of the Channel.