Spitfire XVI TB900

http://www.belgian-wings.be/Webpages/Navigator/Photos/MilltaryPics/post_ww2/Supermarine%20Spitfire%20XVI/Spitfire%20XVI%20TB900%20GE-D.html

Thanks for that.

I’m guessing few photos exist of the aircraft in its camouflage scheme?

http://www.belgian-wings.be/Webpages/Navigator/Photos/MilltaryPics/post_ww2/Supermarine%20Spitfire%20XVI/Spitfire%20XVI%20TB900%20GE-D.html

Well, we’ll just have to see if a Belgian enthusiast (are there any on the forum?) turns one up!

Roundels etc.

I have a copy of “The Aeroplane Spotter” for February 8 1945 🙂 and it says in the correspondence page “It’s those markings again” The other day a Hawker Typhoon 1B carrying rocket-projectile racks dived close to the ground near me, and as it passed I noticed the normal roundels did not appear on the undersurface of the wing. Instead an extra outer ring of yellow around the old-type wide diameter red, white and blue roundel was painted under each wing. As the fighter climbed I could discern similar markings on the upper surface. The fuselage roundel and the vertical fin flash remained unchanged. Does this mean another change in Royal Air Force markings? P Fennimore Hemel Hempstead. The answer being “Recently released photographs of Vickers-Armstrongs Supermarine Spitfire and Hawker Typhoon fighters of the R.A.F. Second Tactical Air Force stationed in the Low Countries have revealed similar markings as are mentioned by Mr Fennimore – Ed” – cheers – Allan p.s. the front cover of this mag shows two Spitfire XIV’s 1 of 610 (County of Chester) Squadron and 1 of 130 (Punjab) Squadron. 🙂

Ahhhh, cheers for that one, Ross.

It really annoys me when a model company doesn’t take the time to research the proper markings of their models!

(One tiny pet peeve is that the Airfix 1/72 Spitfire 1a has no underwing markings – it should!!)

A quick Google has produced the following diagram of TB900’s markings and the following description:

TB900, flown by Squadron Leader Raymond A.F. Lallemant of 349 (Belgium) Squadron at Fassburg, Germany during 1946. Finish is the RAF temperate scheme of dark green, ocean grey upper surfaces over medium sea grey lower surfaces with a sky spinner and yellow wing leading edges. The supplied markings comprise:

· A Squadron Leader’s pennant

· DG-E Squadron codes in sky

· Nose art consisting of a ****’s head, the name ‘Winston Churchill’ in white, and a scoreboard consisting of white tank silhouettes and six Balkenkruez. The black of the Balkenkruez is supplied as a separate decal to thwart any register problems. Why tank silhouettes? These markings stem from the fact that Lallemant pioneered allied “tank-busting” tactics and scored them whilst flying Hawker Typhoons. The ‘kills’ were also earned whilst flying Typhoons.

· TB900 serials in black. Note that the left-hand side serial is only partial whilst the right hand side is complete. This shortened serial was probably bought about when the sky fuselage band was overprinted. Apparently, these bands (as well as the spinner) were over painted when RAF aircraft were campaigning through Germany, as they tended to negate the camouflage and stand out against surrounding countryside. Having said that though I always wonder why the white of the upper wing roundels was never over-painted! Lifelike has supplied the right hand side one as a full serial as there is doubt as to the position of it and what portion of it was over painted. Further but far smaller and complete serials are supplied. These latter serials are applied to the leading edge of the vertical stabilizer.

· National insignia in the form of type C1 roundels for the fuselage, type C for the wings, as well as 24″ 1942 -1947 fin flashes.

Hi Daz

I can’t help with your specific question, but here are a few pics of Kermit Weeks’ Spit taken in 1996 which may or may not be of use.