tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35213144877656091662010-03-09T17:02:57.013ZThis section contains photographs and videos accompanying the Spitfire Site. Posted images have been organised into categories as shown. Please select a category and remember that comments and additional information to the images are always welcome!Spitfire Site Editorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09950064463451541029noreply@blogger.comBlogger117125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3521314487765609166.post-5469655236428582412010-01-25T22:14:00.006Z2010-01-26T23:34:56.637Z

Click to enlarge imageThe history No. 602 (City of Glasgow) Squadron RAuxAF is intimately connected with the Spitfire, the aircraft which the unit operated from the beginning to the end of World War II. When the Auxiliary Air Force reformed again in 1946, No. 602 gathered volunteers old and new at Abbotsinch, once again receiving Spitfires, but this time Griffon-powered Mk. XIV, followed by Mk.

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Click to enlarge imageSpifire Mk. XIC, serial no. BS319 DN-B of No. 416 Squadron RCAF, displaying characteristic feature of early production Mk. IXs: large wing cannon blisters, sized for a complement of two 20 mm Hispanos in each wing. In the event, this heavy armament was never used operationally on the Mk. IX, and the drag-inducing blisters were replaced in production by a slimmer type,

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Click to enlarge imageIn mid-1942, No. 54 Spitfire Squadron left for Australia to help deploy a Spitfire force in defence of the Northern Territory against the Japanese. In January, 1943, it joined No. 1 Wing (Spitfire Wing) of the Royal Australian Air Force.Heavily depleted during the Battle of Britain and the 1941 air offensive, No. 54 Squadron had mainly new personnel for the task. However,

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Click to enlarge imageIn 1941-1942, worldwide collection of funds among the Danish community in exile resulted in bringing up a sum of over £40,000. On 9 April 1942, the Danish delegation met PM Winston Churchill at Downing Street 10 to present him a cheque. The aim was to donate 8 Spitfires for the RAF, but eventually the money were used for three Spitfires and a Handley-Page Hampden. The three

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Click to enlarge imageAmerican P-47 and British Spitfire (in the rear) share a pair of German railway cars near Herne, Germany, 1945. The area has been captured by the advancing 35th Division of the 9th US Army; a GI can be seen inspecting the unexpected booty.The Allied air offensive resulted in many of their aircraft making emergency landings on German-occupied territory, and thus supplied the

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Click to enlarge imageWonderfully atmospheric photo of Polish Spitfire Mk. VB JH-H of No. 317 (Polish) Squadron "Wilenski", surrounded by a flock of seagulls, Northolt Not shown on the picture, JH-H carried the serial number AD140. It served with No. 317 Squadron between September 1941 and March 1942, when its career ended through forced landing near Bolt Head, Devon while short of fuel on return

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Click to enlarge imageEver since the end of World War II, the Spitfire remained a centrepiece of any Royal Air Force celebrations.Here is a photo from the main display at the Royal Tournament 1968 in celebration of the 50th Anniversary of the RAF. In front of HM the Queen is a line-up of historic and contemporary British combat aircraft. Can you identify them all? The Spitfire appears to be a Mk.

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Click to enlarge imageSeafire Mk. IIC captured a moment before landing on an aircraft deck.Due to the nil visibility over the nose of the aircraft, landing the Seafire required a difficult curved approach, with canopy slid back, cockpit door unlatched to block the hood in the open position and the pilot sticking his head out at the port side of the windscreen to keep the glimpse of the carrier

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Click to enlarge imageF/Lt Don Andrews, flight commander of No. 453 Squadron RAAF, in the cockpit of his Spitfire Mk. IXC, serial number unknown. Establishing the date of the photo without the serial number isn't easy, but it has been established that the previous FU-?, Mk. VC EE727 crashed on approach to the airfield on 13 September that year killing the pilot. On the other hand, a month later

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Click to enlarge imageThis interesting photo has been contributed by Mr. Vince Neil from Florida. Vince attached the following comment: The picture was taken in 1960 while on my first trip to London. And my first thrilling close up glimpse of a Spitfire. As I recall, I stumbled upon this during a stroll around Buckingham Palace and 10 Downing. Also have a shot of a Gladiator at the same site.Can

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Click to enlarge imageAn entire complement of Spitfires Mk. IXC of No. 312 (Czechoslovak) Squadron RAF on the line at USAAF Station 112 Bovingdon in Hertfordshire, 30 March 1944.Although it could be established that the photo had been taken by the US personnel at Bovingdon, the reason for the presence No. 312 at the airfield is not explained. Probably the squadron made a friendly visit or had to

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Click to enlarge imageA Jeep loaded with pilots of the 307th Fighter Squadron USAF pulls up alongside one the unit's Spitfires Mk. VIII at an airfield in Nettuno, Italy, 2 February 1944. Interestingly, among the men posing for the photographs is a Black fighter pilot, probably a member of the 99th Fighter Squadron making a guest appearance.307th moved to Nettuno only a day before the photo was

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Click to enlarge imageSalerno, Italy, October 1943. US Coast Guard ship unloads the troops and heavy equipment at the beach of Paestum. Spitfire Mk. VC JK707 was reportedly shot down by "firendly fire" - US naval anti-aircraft gunners.JK707 MX-P served with 307th Fighter Squadron, 31st Fighter Group, which supported the landing at Salerno operating out of Milazzo, an airfield on the north coast

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Click to enlarge imageAustralian Spitfire Mk. VC serial no. BR543 ZP-T of No. 457 Squadron displaying an interesting personal Pegasus emblem. The pilot posing in the cockpit is Jack Newton, and the two other men are his fitters.This aircraft was amongst the first Spitfires received by No. 457 Squadron, receiving Australian identification number A58-49. It served with this unit for a year from

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Click to enlarge imageThis photo, originating from HMSO publications of the time, had been entitled "Spitfires can take it. Riddled fighter makes safe landing in Italy". It is believed to be taken in 1944 and the aircraft is a Spitfire Mk. V, but regrettably the name of the pilot had not been recorded. Details of the actual event are also unknown.While the original caption seems to suggest some

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 Click to enlarge imageWhile the role of foreign squadrons in the RAF Fighter Command is well known, the participation of individuals which volunteered from all over the World is arguably far less documented. Some Spitfire pilots in the RAF came from the least expected places. Here, F/O Arthur O. Weeks, from Barbados, and F/Sgt Collins A. Joseph of Trinidad pose for a publicity photograph in

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Click to enlarge imageSpitfires Mk. IX of No. 412 Squadron at field base B4 near Bény-sur-Mer, shortly after D-Day. Bény-sur-Mer was one of the first landing grounds being prepared at the beachhead, being captured already on the day of the landings after hard fightings in the Canadian sector.Two days later, maintenance and construction commando squadrons arrived in Normandy to build airstrips.  

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Click to enlarge imageSeafires Mk. IB onboard HMS Furious sailing as part of Force H off Algiers in support of Operation Torch, 8 November 1942.Operation Torch was a combat debut of the carrier-borne Spitfire sibling, the Seafire. In support of the Center and Easter Task Forces were three large Royal Navy carriers, HMS Furious, HMS Victorious and HMS Formidable. Onboard HMS Furious were two large

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Click to enlarge imageHere is a photo from the family album of the Gates family, kindly provided by Mr. Ashley Gates. The caption "the last Spitfire in Exeter being shipped out" was intriguing. Also, I must confess that it took a while for me to see that there is a Spitfire in this picture, so if you have missed it, too, take a second look!Here is the Gates family story explaining the picture."My

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Click to enlarge imageAnonymous RAF Spitfire Mk. Vc Trop is serviced on a Sicilian airfield, believed to be Comiso, alongside a Messerschmitt Bf 109G-6 left behind by the previous owners, II/JG 53 'Pik As'. The time was probably August 1943. The RAF unit was not disclosed with the original photo caption, so perhaps readers can help with identifying it.Interestingly, the Spitfire seems to have

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Click to enlarge imageA still from camera gun film from a Supermarine Spitfire Mk. I of No. 609 Squadron RAF, flown by F/Lt J H G McArthur. The tracers show hits on a Heinkel He 111 on its starboard quarter. It should be noted that it is a rather difficult deflection shot - it makes one wonder if the pilot managed to keep the He 111 in sights for much longer...The two Heinkels were part of a

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Click to enlarge imageOne of the prominent women pilots of the Air Transport Auxiliary, Mrs Diana Barnato-Walker climbs into the cockpit of a factory-fresh Spitfire Mk. IX.Diana Barnato was a daughter of a car racing millionaire Woolf Barnato, the chairman of Bentley Motors. From an early age she was interested in aircraft and at age of 20 become a succesful pilot. In early 1941 she became one of

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Click to enlarge imageThe newly-arrived USAAF is formally taking over an RAF station, December 1942.Despite this rather special occasion, this photo is a perfect example of the atmosphere of a wartime RAF station with its camouflaged hangars and anonymous, rather ugly utilitarian architecture. Unfortunately the place has not been recorded - can anyone identify the airfield?[Crown Copyright]

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Click to enlarge imageA beautiful photo of Spitfire Mk. XIV in flight, anno 1944. RB159 DW-D belonged to No. 610 Sqn "County of Chester" RAuxAF, the first unit operating this mark of the Spitfire. Delivered to the squadron on 1 January 1944, RB159 was part of the first batch of 50 Mk. XIV's built.On 18 June 1944, shortly ofter D-Day, the Squadron was posted to West Malling, Kent, to operate

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Click to enlarge imageThis somewhat unique photograph shows a Spitfire Mk. V of No. 416 Squadron RCAF, DN-T, serial no. AB284, in captivity at the concentration camp in Vught, the Netherlands.The aircraft was shot down by ground fire during a Rhubarb mission between Goes and Tholen crashing by Bath (8 km south-west of Woensdrecht airfield) in the South of Holland on Nov. 25th, 1943, 14.35 hours

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