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Thanks mate!Nice history Paulo.
Geo
Good stuff.
Most of the airborne shots were taken on the same sortie, attributed variously between June and July 1940, some book captions stating over Kent, some over the Thames Estuary, and some over Gravesend. The details of roundel placements and sizes (not including the over-size codes of this Squadron), give the clue that this sequence of photos had to be after early June but anywhere between early and late July.
In the various shots of the formation, and with 'K' in particular, the censor of the period erased the serial number, although Squadron and other records, plus some un-doctored photos, confirm the serial number at that time.
Many captions state that this is '610 Sqn, Royal Auxiliary Air Force', which is incorrect. All of the '600' series Squadrons were part of the reserve known as the 'Auxiliary Air Force', a secondary, active reserve of the RAF proper, and the honour title 'Royal' was not bestowed until post war, in recognition of the Sterling service of these Squadrons during WW2, and particularly during the Battle of Britain.
Photos of this formation, and 'DW-K' in particular, are some of the most widely used images of the BoB, although this Squadron served throughout WW2, and was heavily engaged during the BoB, and right through the ETO campaigns with various Marks of Spitfire, being one of the mainstay units deployed against the V1 'Flying Bomb', using Spitfire MkXIVs, in 1944, before being disbanded in March 1945, only to be re-formed, in November 1946, with Spitfire F14s, and later F22s.
These were eventually replaced by Meteor F4s in 1951, and then Meteor F8s in 1952 until 10 March 1957, when the Squadron, and the whole R.Aux.AF disbanded totally.
All of the 'Auxiliary' squadrons were either 'County', or 'City' squadrons, their personnel originally drawn from the relevant County or City for which they were named and where they were formed.
It just so happens that '610, County of Chester' squadron is now my 'local' Squadron, as I've resided in the County of Cheshire for many years now - my 'real' local, 'home' Squadron, however, from my place of birth, and where I grew up, would be 607 'County of Durham' Squadron.
Thanks Terry!Difficult to say. Officially, all aircraft were supposed to carry the gas detection panel, but period photos show that this was not the case, particularly later in the BoB, when replacement aircraft arrived on squadrons, and when the gas threat was perhaps seen as less likely. Similar panels were mounted on posts at points around airfields and military installations.
Personally, for that particular aircraft and during that specific period, I think I would include it.
Yep, plain yellow, no outline normally.
The photo may be a contrast aberration. But, the squares were normally reactive paint, although a 'patch' might have been taped in place in some instances, which might be what appears to be showing in the photo, as a 'true' period representation. The tape used was the old,black fabric tape, the forerunner of what we now know as 'Gaffer' tape or 'Duct/Duck' tape.
The yellow often had a very feint green tinge, due to atmospheric effects, and worked in a similar way to litmus paper, changing colour, or staining, if gas was present.