With the Mediterranean Allied Coastal Air Force
Click to enlarge image
Although at the time of the photo the aircraft obviously had seen its better days, this Spitfire Mk. V belonged to one of the last production batches of this mark, distinguished by individual exhaust pipes, C-wing with narrow blisters and late Mk. IX type-elevator with enlarged balance horns. Also, the extra cannon stubs had been removed. The French roundels were painted over the USAAF star-and-bar insignia, following the US practice of placing the markings only at the upper port (and presumably lower starboard) wing.
[US National Archives]
Labels: Spitfire Mk. V
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posted by
Anonymous on 16 Feb 2009 19:08:00
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326 Squadron was a French squadron not a Free French squadron.
Free French squadrons were formed from personnel that fled France to join the allies. These ‘volunteers’, considered traitors by the Vichy-based government, called themselves ‘Francaises Libres’ – Free French to stress their independence from dishonourable links with Nazi Germany. Consequently these squadrons of the RAF had the name of Free French.
After Operation Torch in late 1942, units of the Vichy-controlled Air Force joined the allies and were reorganised according to RAF establishments. These were known as French, not having the right nor the wish to be called Free French. All these units had double names; in the RAF sequence of squadron numbers and pre-war style French units.
Groupe de Chasse I/2 Cicognes 329 (French) Sqn RAF
Groupe de Chasse II/2 Berry 345 (French) Sqn RAF
Groupe de Chasse Francaises Libre III/2 Alsace 341 (Free French) Sqn RAF
Groupe de Chasse Francaises Libre IV/2 Ile de France 340 (Free French) Sqn RAF
Groupe de Chasse I/3 Corse 327 (French) Sqn RAF
Groupe de Chasse I/7 Provence 328 (French) Sqn RAF
Groupe de Chasse II/7 Nice 326 (French) Sqn RAF
posted by
Spitfire Site Editor on 16 Feb 2009 22:18:00
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My mistake. I'm correcting this right away /M.