The Spitfire thread
- Thread starter Geedee
- Start date
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Why is an American sailor in the 2cd photo with a French flown Spit V?
I am presuming it is French flown. Though the code is not completely visible (4X maybe), there is another photo of a similar a/c marked with an 'X' and noted as a French unit.
I am presuming it is French flown. Though the code is not completely visible (4X maybe), there is another photo of a similar a/c marked with an 'X' and noted as a French unit.
B-17engineer
Colonel
They were part of VCS-7
How did that come about?
Spitty pics are great guys...
Airframes
Benevolens Magister
VCS-7 were employed spotting for the guns on D-Day and beyond, and were not equipped with suitable aircraft at that time, having floatplanes. A small number of RAF Spitfire MkVs (6 IIRC), with uprated engines were supplied. The '4' was the unit code, with individual codes 'X', 'V', etc.
The only 'French' connection is the caption on one pic, presumably from a French publication, stating 'Squadron VCS-7', in French.
The only 'French' connection is the caption on one pic, presumably from a French publication, stating 'Squadron VCS-7', in French.
- Thread starter
- #69
stug3
Staff Sergeant
Mk. IXBs of 611 Squadron based at Biggin Hill in late 1942.
An armourer of No. 3101 Servicing Echelon uses a periscope unit to adjust one of the .303 Browning machine guns on a Spitfire Mark IXB of No. 341 (Free French) Squadron RAF, jacked up before a gun harmonization board at Biggin Hill, Kent.
Gun harmonisation board at Biggin Hill, Kent, set up for a Spitfire Mark IXB of No. 341 (Free French) Squadron RAF, which has been jacked up into a level flying position in the Blister Hangar fifty yards beyond by armourers of No. 3101 Servicing Echelon. The discs on the board have placed in order to harmonise the guns so that their lines of fire converge on a point 250 yards from the aircraft. The four small outside discs are the harmonising points for the four .303 Browning machine guns, while the larger discs inboard of these are for the two 20mm cannon. The upper centre spot is for the pilot's reflector sight, and the lower spot to the left of centre is for the camera gun.
An armourer of No. 3101 Servicing Echelon uses a periscope unit to adjust one of the .303 Browning machine guns on a Spitfire Mark IXB of No. 341 (Free French) Squadron RAF, jacked up before a gun harmonization board at Biggin Hill, Kent.
Gun harmonisation board at Biggin Hill, Kent, set up for a Spitfire Mark IXB of No. 341 (Free French) Squadron RAF, which has been jacked up into a level flying position in the Blister Hangar fifty yards beyond by armourers of No. 3101 Servicing Echelon. The discs on the board have placed in order to harmonise the guns so that their lines of fire converge on a point 250 yards from the aircraft. The four small outside discs are the harmonising points for the four .303 Browning machine guns, while the larger discs inboard of these are for the two 20mm cannon. The upper centre spot is for the pilot's reflector sight, and the lower spot to the left of centre is for the camera gun.
Good stuff!
stug3
Staff Sergeant
No. 417 Squadron, RCAF Mk Vbs modified with Vokes Filters, flying in loose formation over the Tunisian desert on a bomber escort operation, April 1943.
stug3
Staff Sergeant
As ground staff work on another Spitfire, Squadron Leader Stanislaw Lapka, CO of No 302 (City of Poznan) Squadron, roars low over the airfield for the benefit of the photographer at Kirton-in-Lindsey, March 1943
stug3
Staff Sergeant
Spitfire F Mark XII, MB882 'EB-B', of No. 41 Squadron RAF based at Friston, Sussex, in flight over Eastbourne.
The Spitfire XII had been in service for over a year when this shot was taken on 12 April 1944 of two Friston-based aircraft from No 41 Squadron. Essentially a Mk V airframe mated to Rolls-Royce's powerful 1,735hp Griffon engine (which gave it a top speed of about 390mph at 18,00ft), the Mk XII was a low-level interceptor, equipping two home-defence squadrons.
The Spitfire XII had been in service for over a year when this shot was taken on 12 April 1944 of two Friston-based aircraft from No 41 Squadron. Essentially a Mk V airframe mated to Rolls-Royce's powerful 1,735hp Griffon engine (which gave it a top speed of about 390mph at 18,00ft), the Mk XII was a low-level interceptor, equipping two home-defence squadrons.
Cool shots guys!
Jeff Hunt
1st Lieutenant
]
If you have an extra $ 4.1m USD kicking around you can purchase this sweetheart.
Cheers,
Jeff
If you have an extra $ 4.1m USD kicking around you can purchase this sweetheart.
Cheers,
Jeff
Good shots Jeff!
stug3
Staff Sergeant
Spitfire Mark Vs banking over Tunisia 1943
Cool shot!
