Spitfire MkIXe S-89, 10th Air Regiment, Czech Air Force, Praha-Kbely, 1949
 
When the Free Czech squadrons of the RAF (Nos. 310, 312, 313) returned to Czechoslovakia after the end of the War, they took their aircraft with them, specially repainted in Czech colours before their departure from RAF Manston. These aircraft were supplemented by a number of others bought from Britain, but with the arrival of the Communists in power in 1947, the S-89 as the Spitfire was known locally fell out of favour and was phased out in favour of Soviet types. Many Czech Spitfires were sold on to the new State of Israel.
 
For use ONLY with SF2 including the Israel Expansion Pack. This will NOT work if you do not have the stock TW Spitfires installed and working.
 
Credits:
 
Model and Flight Dynamics by Third Wire
Cockpit by Kesselbrut
Skin, decals, data.ini modifications by ndicki
Guns by AvHistory
 
This is my rather limited way to saying thank you to Monty CZ for all the fabulous aircraft he makes for us!

Spitfire MkVb AB790, Wing Commander John Kent, 1st Polish Wing, Northolt, July 1941
 
For use ONLY with SF2 including the Israel Expansion Pack. This will NOT work if you do not have the stock TW Spitfires installed and working.
 
 
Credits:
 
Model by Third Wire
Flight Dynamics by ShrikeHawk based on TW Spitfire MkIXc
Cockpit by Kesselbrut
Skin, decals, data.ini modifications, formations, sounds and assembly by ndicki
Guns by AvHistory

Spitfire MkVb, No.249 Sqn RAF, Takali, Malta, March 1942
 
Malta stands in a key position in the middle of the Mediterranean, between Sicily and Libya, right on the main supply route for Axis forces in North Africa. For this reason, it came under constant attack from mid-1940 until late 1942 when the Allies took the initiative in North Africa. This is the longest siege in both British and Maltese history, and on 15th April 1942 King George VI awarded the island with the George Cross as a token of respect for its dogged and determined resistance.
 
Initially, Malta was defended only by a handful of worn out Hurricanes which nonetheless gave a good account of themselves, but they were clearly not a match for the latest Bf109F fighters deployed by the Luftwaffe. The choice was simple - supply the island with Spitfires, or lose it.
 
The difficult part of the operation involved actually getting the Spitfires to Malta in the first place. Shipping was being lost at an alarming rate, yet with the limited range of the Spitfire, flying them from Gibraltar was impossible. Finally, an underbelly slipper tank was designed, and a plan began to come together. The aircraft would be carried aboard HMS Eagle to a point off the Algerian coast from which they would be able to reach Malta with their last drops of fuel.
 
The Spitfires were shipped to Gibraltar, assembled and made ready. The Eagle took them aboard and sailed to the fly-off point, dangerously close to a hostile coast... Only to find that the extra fuel tanks would not work owing to an undetected air-lock. The Navy was furious...
 
On the second attempt on 7th March 1942, however, all aircraft bar one with fuel feed trouble took off successfully under the command of S/L Stan Grant, and flew the 660 mile journey to Malta without mishap. The way was open and Malta would survive.
 
By the time the next delivery of a further 9 Spitfires took place two weeks later, only two of this initial batch were still airworthy.
 
Serial numbers in this pack correspond to the aircraft used in Operation Spotter. All 16 were newly-built MkVb(T) aircraft, which explains their consecutive serial numbers. They were delivered in the typical Desert scheme of Midstone, Dark Earth and Azure Blue, and at the time of their epic flight, they did not yet carry individual letters. I have assigned these letters on a purely hypothetical basis as I have not been able to determine if they were in fact carried during service with 249 Sqn or not.
 
For use ONLY with SF2 including the Israel Expansion Pack. This will NOT work if you do not have the stock TW Spitfires installed and working.
 
Includes 2048 and 1024 size skin sheets.
 
Credits:
Model by Third Wire
Flight Dynamics by ShrikeHawk based on TW Spitfire MkIXc
Cockpit by Kesselbrut
Skin, decals, data.ini modifications, formations, sounds and assembly by ndicki
Guns by AvHistory

Spitfire MkVb, No.401 (Canadian) Sqn RAF, Gravesend, May 1942
 
Originally No.1 Sqn RCAF, the squadron became operational on Hurricane at Northolt in August 1940 after a period of in-theatre training. After the Battle of Britain, in which it was reasonably successful, it was moved to Prestwick in Scotland. Shortly after returning to the South to Digby in February 1941, it was renumbered to No.401 to avoid confusion with No.1 Sqn RAF. Spitfire MkIIs replaced the Hurricanes in September 1941, and were themselves replaced by MkVbs before the end of 1941. These aircraft remained until their replacement, in turn, with the new MkIX in the course of the late summer of 1942, making 401 one of the first squadrons to operate the MkIX. In October 1941, 401 had moved from Digby to Biggin Hill, carrying out offensive sweeps over Northern France.
 
Serial numbers in this pack correspond to MkVb aircraft used by 401 Squadron during 1942, although many of these aircraft were on strength only for some days, for obvious reasons. Where a pilot has been identified as having flown a particular aircraft (The Royal Air Force did not attribute aircraft to particular pilots, although many did tend to have their favourites) that pilot has been listed in the menu. Aircraft of note are Pilot Officer Don Blakeslee's BL753 'H' and Pilot Officer Don Morrison's BM373 'F'. Aircraft appearing in the menu without an asterisk carry the correct individual letter for that aircraft.
 
This Ocean Grey/Dark Green/Medium Sea Grey Day Fighter Scheme was introduced wef August 1941, although its implementation lasted up until at least the end of 1941. This original shade of Ocean grey, not to be confused with the shade standardised in mid-1942, was ordered to be mixed from seven parts Medium Sea Grey to one part Night and applied on-squadron. In practice, while it could vary wildly, it was generally darker than the later, factory-produced shade, and lacked the blueish hue. It is typical of the period running from late 1941 until the autumn or even winter of 1942.
 
For use ONLY with SF2 including the Israel Expansion Pack. This will NOT work if you do not have the stock TW Spitfires installed and working.
 
Includes 2048 and 1024 size skin sheets.
 
Credits:
Model by Third Wire
Flight Dynamics by ShrikeHawk based on TW Spitfire MkIXc
Cockpit by Kesselbrut
Skin, decals, data.ini modifications, formations, sounds and assembly by ndicki
Guns by AvHistory

Spitfire MkVb, No.92 (East India) Sqn RAF, Biggin Hill, February - October 1941
 
After fighting throughout the Battle of Britain, during which it produced a number of noteworthy aces, No.92 stayed at Biggin Hill during the summer of 1941. This was the time when the RAF began its 'lean forward' into occupied France, effectively turning the tables on the Luftwaffe and finally taking the fight back to the Continent. In February 1941, No.92 was the first squadron to receive the new MkV Spitfire.
 
The markings carried throughout 1941 included the Sky 'Fighter Command' band and spinner introduced in December 1940 and returned to the all-Sky undersides again after a brief period from December to April when the port wings of fighter aircraft were once again painted black. At this time, the spinner and band were in fact generally painted not Sky but Sky Blue for some reason; the correct Sky colour appeared more generally in the second half of 1941.
 
Serial numbers in this pack correspond to MkVb aircraft used by 92 Squadron during 1941, although many of these aircraft were on strength only for some days, for obvious reasons. Where a pilot has been identified as having flown a particular aircraft (The Royal Air Force did not attribute aircraft to particular pilots, although many did tend to have their favourites) that pilot has been listed in the menu. Pilots of note included such well-known types as Brian Kingcome, Neville Duke, Titch Havercroft, Don Kingaby, Geoff Wellum, Trevor Wade and many others.
 
For use ONLY with SF2 including the Israel Expansion Pack. This will NOT work if you do not have the stock TW Spitfires installed and working.
 
Includes 2048 and 1024 size skin sheets.
 
Credits:
Model by Third Wire
Flight Dynamics by ShrikeHawk based on TW Spitfire MkIXc
Cockpit by Kesselbrut
Skin, decals, data.ini modifications, formations, sounds and assembly by ndicki
Guns by AvHistory

Spitfire MkIIa, No.308 (City of Krakow) Sqn, Royal Air Force, Baginton, May 1941
 
No.308 Squadron was the among first of the Polish fighter squadrons to be equipped with the Spitfire while based at Baginton in March 1941. This made the Poles the first Free Air Force to use the aircraft - a fitting tribute given the way they had performed during the later part of the Battle of Britain; No.303 (Kosciuszko) Sqn for example claimed more German aircraft shot down than any other Hurricane squadron - despite joining the Battle only at the end of August. The Poles, for whom the RAF was their third home after their own Air Force in 1939 and the French Air Force in 1940, had a reputation for extremely aggressive flying which the RAF did not altogether understand - but their results were eloquent, and they were given the Spitfires they craved.
 
The markings carried in the late spring of 1941 included the Sky 'Fighter Command' band and spinner introduced in December 1940 and returned to the all-Sky undersides again after a brief period from December to April when the port wings of fighter aircraft were once again painted black. At this time, the spinner and band were in fact generally painted not Sky but Sky Blue for some reason; the correct Sky colour appeared more generally in the second half of 1941.
 
Serial numbers in this pack correspond to aircraft used by 308 Squadron during May 1941, although many of these aircraft were on strength only for some days, for obvious reasons.
 
For use ONLY with SF2 including the Israel Expansion Pack. This will NOT work if you do not have the stock TW Spitfires installed and working.
 
Includes 2048 and 1024 size skin sheets.
 
Credits:
 
Model by Third Wire
Flight Dynamics by ShrikeHawk based on TW Spitfire MkIXc
Cockpit by Kesselbrut
Skin, decals, data.ini modifications, formations, sounds and assembly by ndicki
Guns by AvHistory

Spitfire MkIIa, No.609 (West Riding) Sqn, Auxiliary Air Force, Biggin Hill, May 1941
 
After fighting throughout the Battle of Britain, during which it was based at Middle Wallop and produced a number of noteworthy aces, No.609 moved to Biggin Hill in February 1941. This was the time when the RAF began its 'lean forward' into occupied France, effectively turning the tables on the Luftwaffe and finally taking the fight back to the Continent.
 
The markings carried in the late spring of 1941 included the Sky 'Fighter Command' band and spinner introduced in December 1940 and returned to the all-Sky undersides again after a brief period from December to April when the port wings of fighter aircraft were once again painted black. At this time, the spinner and band were in fact generally painted not Sky but Sky Blue for some reason; the correct Sky colour appeared more generally in the second half of 1941.
 
Serial numbers in this pack correspond to aircraft used by 609 Squadron during May 1941, although many of these aircraft were on strength only for some days, for obvious reasons. Where a pilot has been identified as having flown a particular aircraft (The Royal Air Force did not attribute aircraft to particular pilots, although many did tend to have their favourites) that pilot has been listed in the menu. Two pilots of particular note were operational with the Squadron in May 1941; Australian ace F/L John Curchin usually flew P8098 'Z', the Enfield presentation Spitfire, and F/O John Bisdee P8264 'H' which carries his family's fleur-de-lys arms below the cockpit.
 
For use ONLY with SF2 including the Israel Expansion Pack. This will NOT work if you do not have the stock TW Spitfires installed and working.
 
Includes 2048 and 1024 size skin sheets.
 
Credits:
 
Model by Third Wire
Flight Dynamics by ShrikeHawk based on TW Spitfire MkIXc
Cockpit by Kesselbrut
Skin, decals, data.ini modifications, formations, sounds and assembly by ndicki
Guns by AvHistory

Spitfire MkI, No.66 Sqn, Royal Air Force, Duxford, September 1940
 
Operating from Duxford, No.66 was the second squadron after No.19 to convert to the Spitfire in November 1938. During early 1939, the highly coloured Type A1 roundels on the fuselage and mainplanes (see my 19 Sqn 1938 Spitfire) were toned down and replaced by more discreet Type B markings as here. Squadron codes were initially "RB" but during the reshuffle which took place in the course of 1939, these became the "LZ" codes which were subsequently carried throughout the War.
 
The markings are typical of the period from early 1939 up until early 1940; although the uppersurfaces roundels remained of Type B until late in the War, fuselage roundels changed yet again at the beginning of 1940 to move back to red-white-and-blue Type A roundels. Black-and-white undersides were replaced by Sky according to AM Signal X915 of 6th June 1940. In common with many of the early Spitfires which were delivered with undersides painted Aluminium, this aircraft's ailerons were left in aluminium paint when the black-and-white scheme was applied. This was ostensibly to prevent "balancing problems" and is commonly seen on many fighter types of the immediate pre-War period.
 
Serial numbers given in the menu list correspond to aircraft used by 66 Squadron during 1939.
 
For use ONLY with SF2 including the Israel Expansion Pack. This will NOT work if you do not have the stock TW Spitfires installed and working.
 
Includes 2048 and 1024 size skin sheets.
 
Credits:
 
Model by Third Wire
Flight Dynamics by ShrikeHawk based on TW Spitfire MkIXc
Cockpit by Kesselbrut
Skin, decals, data.ini modifications, formations, sounds and assembly by ndicki
Guns by AvHistory