Spitfire MkI, No.54 Sqn RAF, May 1940

Spitfire MkI, No.54 Sqn, Royal Air Force, Hornchurch, May 1940

Operating from Hornchurch in Essex, No.54 was one of the Fighter Command squadrons tasked with defending the BEF and Royal Navy in Northern France, especially during Operation Dynamo, the withdrawal from Dunkirk. At this time, the squadron was led by S/L James Leathart, and included two Pilot Officers from New Zealand who were to make quite a name for themselves, namely Alan Deere and Colin Gray. Alan Deere's autobiography "Nine Lives" is well worth reading, and gives a clear idea of what it was like to be one of the Few, before, during and after the Battle.

The markings are typical of the period and include the fin flash and underwing roundels which were used at the time only on those Home-based aircraft operating over the French mainland. Black-and-white undersides were replaced by Sky according to AM Signal X915 of 6th June 1940, although it would be mid-August at the earliest before significant quantities of this new shade were generally available.

Serial numbers given in the menu list correspond to aircraft used by 54 Squadron during May 1940. In common with a number of fighter squadrons in 1939 and early 1940, however, 54 Sqn painted out the serial numbers on the aircraft, and the corresponding decals are therefore not included in this pack. 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.

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