Hi All;
Couldn’t resist sharing this photo just spotted over on Hyperscale. Apparently from the IWM archive, I can’t say I’ve ever seen the image before. A glorious air to air shot in colour from early 1940? Can’t be many of these around!
Spitfires of No 19 Squadron in flight, early 1940. The pilots are believed to be Stevenson (QV-K) and Watson (QV-O). In the foreground is the wingtip of F/O M D Lyne’s aircraft. Watson was killed over Dunkirk on 26 June 1940.
Enjoy…!
Regards;
Steve
By: DazDaMan - 22nd November 2011 at 17:13
Fantastic pic.
By: Arabella-Cox - 22nd November 2011 at 16:26
There also looks to be some kind of artwork in red just forward of the cockpit on QV-K.
By: WebPilot - 22nd November 2011 at 15:59
Good spot on the overpainted roundel!
Some other points to note:
No painted serial on the rear empennage
Bulged hood & later type aerial mast
And what would appear to be a large conurbation in the background, possibly with hills beyond as the horizon is well defined but somewhat ‘lumpy’. Could this shot have been taken to the north of London with the North Downs showing beyond?
By: longshot - 22nd November 2011 at 15:23
The IWM site seems to have been upgraded http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205095203
By: PeterVerney - 22nd November 2011 at 14:54
That is a super shot.
For you roundel experts, note how the white has been overpainted blue on Payne’s wing. Does that tie the date at all?
By: WebPilot - 22nd November 2011 at 13:54
.
I imagine that with the combination of the fairly new squadron codes and the roundels sans the yellow rings, the time period in which this photo was taken must be quite narrow.
With due consideration to the fact that actually repainting aircraft doesn’t happen exactly in step with promulgation of new standards, it’s right for the first three or four months of early 1940.
19 adopted the ‘QV’ code in September 1939 and converted to the cannon armed 1b in June 1940 which neatly book ends the possible time frame.
Type A fuselage roundels were mandated in place of type B in late November or early December of 1939 and the yellow outer ring to the fuselage roundel in May 1940. Fin flashes were also introduced from May 1940. This makes the likely timeframe for the photo squarely Jan – April 1940.
By: RAFRochford - 22nd November 2011 at 13:39
It is stunning isn’t it!
I have to wonder, that if the wingtip and presumably the camera did belong to F/O Lyne, how many other images he snapped on this colour film? There could be many other gems like this.
I imagine that with the combination of the fairly new squadron codes and the roundels sans the yellow rings, the time period in which this photo was taken must be quite narrow.
Interesting mixture of A and B schemes too!
Regards;
Steve
By: Bmused55 - 22nd November 2011 at 10:29
A great image that fires the imagination and conjures up so many questions.
Where were they going?, was it a patrol?, were they off to intercept the hun?, who made it back?, etc.
Sign In
November 22, 2011 at 10:23 am