One more for the Spit experts

Hello Dan,

As soon as I am back home, I will mail close-up pic of the mission log (three rows of bombs, if my memory serves me).

The 317 Sqn shots look very interesting. There were not many bubble-top Mk XVIs in that squadron, anyway.

Many thanks for the Mk XII photo.

Regards,
Wojtek

Last one

another

I don’t have any identifications for the pilots or the 317 Squadron Spits in the photos but thought they might be of interest.

Dan

Thanks for the info 🙂 I only have a scan of the photo sent by a friend whose Dad was a Polish refugee at the end of the war. He happened upon the Polish Spitfire Squadrons and they gave him some snapshots. I’ll see if I can get hard copies from him. I’d be happy to pass them on as soon as I can.

Mark12 has my e-mail. Speaking of which. Did the MB854 image make it through? I sent it last night.

Now for the updated ZF-R. I couldn’t get an exact count of the bombs and I’m obviously not positive on the color, but I went with the yellow again and made it 50 missions. If you know the exact I can adjust it.

I’ll post the other scans I have of the Polish pilots here too.

Hello Dan,

Handing you over to Wojtek…………………………

TB632 was one of the first Mk XVIs delivered to 308 Sqn when they converted from Mk IXs. According to my data the Spit was delivered to the unit on 22 March 1945. It stayed with 308 until the unit’s disbandment in December 1946. They stayed in Germany, as part of the BAFO, until October 1946. So, as you can see, plenty of time to take a picture of the Spitfire with a Messerschmitt tail beside.

Now, if you look closely, you will see a mission log, in form of rows of small bombs, painted on the fuel tank cover. As far as I know this was the only Mk XVI in 308 Sqn so adorned. TB632 was usually flown by F/O Waclaw Stanski. He had previously flown a sequence of Mk IXs coded ZF-P, at the time when 308 was commanded by S/Ldr Retinger who would use the ZF-R. When he was replaced by S/Ldr Pniak at the end of 1944, the latter selected ZF-P as his personal mount, so F/O Stanski had to change to ZF-R which then became his assigned code until the end of his career with 308. Now, when S/Ldr Retinger was leading 308, his personal ZF-R (MK984) had the name of his grilfirend painted on the side of the fuselage, and the mission log on the engine cowling. I believe when F/O Stanski took over that ZF-R Mk IX, he must have liked the idea, and that was why his later ZF-R also had a mission log.

May I be so bold as to ask for a copy of the picture?

……………………. OK Dan the stop watch is going for you to get the mission log on the top tank cover. 🙂

Mark

C type roundels on Spitfire in background, no fuselage band, must be mid ’45.

Its a 262 fin, so that makes it really late war/post war!

Bruce

Dan,

Well the Fw190 tail fin(?) must be significant.

Wojtek Matusiak is currently in the UK and with me tomorrow. He will know the answer I am sure.

Mark

And of course the profile I did a while back when I first started doing Spits. Since the odds of owning a XII are slim to none, should I win the lottery, a clipped wing, tall tail Spit XVIe in these markings would fill in nicely 🙂

Dan