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No. 208 Squadron's Spitfires Mk. XVIII

Tuesday, October 09, 2007 | posted by Spitfire Site Editor | permalink

Click to enlarge image

A pair of Spitfires FR Mk. XVIII of No. 208 Squadron over the Mediterranean.

After the War, No 208 returned from Italy to Palestine where it was equipped with the new Spitfires Mk. XVIII. Following the creation of the Israeli state, the squadron covered the withdrawal of British forces from Palestine, and in the course of these duties was attacked both by the Egyptian Air Force and the Israelis - all flying Spitfires! In late 1948 the fragile situation in Palestine prompted the squadron to withdraw to RAF Fayid in the Canal Zone of Egypt. Here the unit carried photo reconnaissance missions over Palestine and Suez. After 3 years at Fayid, the Spitfires were replaced by Meteors in 1951. [Crown Copyright]

Labels: Spitfire Mk. XVIII

5 Comments | Leave your comment

posted by Tango India Mike on 17-Oct-2007 17:44:00 | permalink: What a nice photograph! I've never seen this one before. That camouflage pattern is very different from the usual and I would guess the colours as Dark Green/Ocean Grey. Someone is bound to say the grey SHOULD be Dark Sea Grey, but it looks too light - unless, of course, it's just faded. Does anyone have reliable drawings or photos showing the overall pattern?
posted by Anonymous on 21-Oct-2007 00:41:00 | permalink: According to Paul Lucas, there is some evidence to indicate that RAF squadrons in the Levant - including 208 - repainted at least some of their aircrafts' uppersurfaces in dark earth and light slate grey. This combination was reckoned to be more suitable for the terrain over which these units operated. Lucas has written a number of magazine articles and at least one book which, in part, cover this specific subject.
posted by Tango India Mike on 25-Oct-2007 17:28:00 | permalink: Thanks, whoever you are! This is very interesting information. Do you have any further details of the Lucas publication?
posted by Anonymous on 17-Feb-2008 19:11:00 | permalink: Actually, the photo HAS been shown in Alfred Prices books:
'Spitfire A Documentery History' on p144.

Also, 'The Spitfire Story' same author.

Mervyn.
posted by Anonymous on 18-Aug-2008 14:46:00 | permalink: To who's interested: of this unit four Spits XVIII were shot down by Spitfires! Two; TZ228 and TZ236 are still burried in the desert.
digging holiday next year?
Harry