Spitfires of Singapore AF

Bellakelpie,

I am indebted to you for providing a vital piece in the jigsaw of this long standing Spitfire mystery.

A quick search on the internet provided this confirming image.

Mark

Image:- Scale Models Malaysia.

Bruce Robertson, in the first 1960 edition of his splendid book, ‘Spitfire-Story of a Famous Fighter’ listed all known surviving examples.

Two Spitfires are of interest on this list SM997 and TP205 with the latter particularly relevant. They did not survive past the 1950’s and no internet or instant messaging then.

A number of b/w and colour shots have subsequently surfaced over the years of SM997, but not one, to my knowledge of TP205, a SiAAF machine.

Bruce Robertson in his text said it was in PR Blue finish.

I have wondered if this anonymous shot might be TP205.

Anybody recognise it or the general geography?

Mark

The photo was taken at the old RAF Base at Sungei Besi, Kuala Lumpur. (Now known as Simpang Airport)

At the time the airport was shared between the Military (at the North East end) and the Civilians. (at the South West end) It remained in this shared use until a new civilian airport at Subang was built in the late 1960’s. The R.M.A.F. still uses the airfield (although the runway has been shortened) and the Malyasian airforce museum is based there.

The give way is the shape of the ridge in the background. There is a small “lump” on the ridge top, which can be seen over the Spitfires right wing tip.

During my family’s 18 years of residence in Kuala Lumpur, (non military) between 1957 and 1975, we flew in and out of that airport many times. That ridge features in many photo’s that I have of various propellor airliners that came through daily.

The political history of Singapore and the Federation of Malaya/Straits Settlements/Malaysia is complex but for all practical purposes Singapore was effectively seen as part of Malaya in the period from 1946 till the mid 50s.

Researching Singapore aviation for the time I was living(early 50s) there I have the Royal Malayan AuxiliaryAir force using the above mentioned Spitfires plus 3 Tiger Moths and four unidentified Harvards.AFAIK the Singapore Squadron of the RMAuxAF is about as close as it gets to there being any kind of seperate unit.

Since the question of whether or not there was a Singapore Auxilary Air Force was raised in this thread, I have been doing some research into that. Recently, I came across the site in this link:

http://webspace.webring.com/people/rj/jica-aas/airforce/index.html

It bears out what I had always believed and that is there was no seperate Singapore Auxiliary Air Force. The Singapore units, both flying squadrons and the FCU, were an overall part of the Malayan Auxililary Air Force (MAAF) while that existed.

The site is very informative and well worth reading through.

OK, dear friends !

Thank to You all for Your great invaluable help in this subject !

Maybe, the Future will bring more of perspicuity and facts about SiAAF… Let’s to hope !
__________________________________________________________

Best wishes,
Flyer.

Mark,

Many thanks for that. This is the first ‘official’ reference to a Singapore AAF that I have come across. Whilst looking for info on the original question, I went through all books that I have to try and find it, nothing!

The only mentions throughout in those books is to the MAAF and a Singapore sqn. There should have been two but lack of recruiting and funding (yes, had the same problems in those days!), meant this did not happen.

Will have to do some more digging. If anyone else has anything on this subject I’d like to hear of it please.

Laurie.

Flyer,

If you read my post, #10 above, you will see that I confirmed the existence of the Malayan Auxiliary Air Force only. The Singapore squadron(s) were part of that organisation. As far as I am aware, there was no separate Singapore Auxiliary Air Force.

As a further note, all Spitfires issued to the MAAF had been withdrawn from them by late 52/early 53, so they were in use for a very short period of time only. From that time on, the sqns were equipped with 4 Tiger Moths and 4 Harvards each. These, in turn, were replaced by Chipmunks in 1957

Laurie,

I transcribed the movement card of PK683 prior to it being stolen from the the Air Historical Branch MoD c1975.

It reads:-

‘Singapore AAF 31.7.51 (24.7.51)’

I have note that in Air Clues for October 1963, re PK683:-

‘A Mr T. Chiole, a pilot with Malayan Airways, as Flt Lt Chiole in the Singapore Aux A.F. 1950/53 at RAF Tengah, His aircraft. Flown almost daily.’

Mark

Flyer,

If you read my post, #10 above, you will see that I confirmed the existance of the Malayan Auxiliary Air Force only. The Singapore squadron(s) were part of that organisation. As far as I am aware, there was no seperate Singapore Auxiliary Air Force.

As a further note, all Spitfires issued to the MAAF had been withdrawn from them by late 52/early 53, so they were in use for a very short period of time only. From that time on, the sqns were equipped with 4 Tiger Moths and 4 Harvards each. These, in turn, were replaced by Chipmunks in 1957

I have a shot of PK683 with the SiAAF out on the flight line.

Unfortunately there are restrictions on posting the shot.

It is camouflaged and assumed to be Grey/Green. It has a tail band. The fuselage roundel is obscured but the under-wing roundel and tail band are post WWII. The spinner looks to be white. There are no code or special unit markings visible.

Adjacent can be seen part of another Spitfire. It is also camouflaged with tail band but has earlier type C1 roundels. Serial looks to be ***45 or **45*. This Spitfire may be from a different unit.

Mark

Dear friends !

FIRST:
These posts gave more questions, than answers.

After the attentive studying of all Your messages I have drawn a next conclusions:

1) The Singapore Auxiliary Air Force existed really (although POSTFADE stumbles at this, but three other authors – Mark12, Edgar Brooks, Lauriebe – confirm this fact).

2) This Air Force had at least 3 Spitfires (Mark12 wrote about 5 examples, and Lauriebe – about 3 planes).

3) The authors differs in opinions about exact serial numbers of those Spitfires, but TP205 and PK683 mentioned without doubt.

4) These Spitfires were flown by British pilots (RAF pilots), and not Singapore native pilots.

Are my conclusions true ?
If these conclusion are wrong – please let me know.
___________________________________________
SECOND:
I have one question:
– had these Spitfires any special insignia, that “spoke” about the belonging of them to SiAAF (badges, letters/titles, codes, emblems) ? Who knows any info ?
My opinion – “they had not”; but, maybe, I mistaken ?
_____________________________________________
THIRD:
I agree with SMS88 about list of Spitfires – it is interesting to see more from it.

Wait for answers.

Regards,
Flyer.

P.S.
I think, the Malayan Auxiliary Air Force (MAAF) – is the subject for future individual thread(s).

Bruce Robertson, in the first 1960 edition of his splendid book, ‘Spitfire-Story of a Famous Fighter’ listed all known surviving examples.

Two Spitfires are of interest on this list SM997 and TP205 with the latter particularly relevant. They did not survive past the 1950’s and no internet or instant messaging then.

Mark – Please do share the rest of this list -its fascinating to read where the familiar Spits were back then and even more interesting to know which ones were scrapped and where in the late 1950s/early 1960s when there should have been a bit more awareness of their heritage value 15 years on from the end of the war………

Mark, the location might, and I stress might, be Kuala Lumpur (KL). It certainly doesn’t appear to be Butterworth, Tengah or Sembawang. No idea which airframe though. As you know, I have had ‘feelers’ out for shots of TP205 for some time.

If it is KL, two possibilities for you. Firstly, 28 Sqn’s TP428 on 8 Oct 48 and 60 Sqn’s SM975 on 4 May 50. Both taken from Jim Halley’s ‘Broken Wings’.

A little background on the Malayan Auxiliary Air Force (MAAF). It was promulgated in mid-1950 with the intention of recruiting 4 auxiliary fighter squadrons to augment the front line units in FEAF. Those units were to be located in Singapore (which at that time was considered as part of Malaya), KL and Penang. Each was also to have its own associated Fighter Control Unit. The initial equipment issued to each of the squadrons was 4 Tiger Moths, supplemented by 4 Harvards during 1951/52. Malcolm Postgate, in his book “Operation Firedog’, states that at the end of 1953 there were only 16 pilots and 170 tradesmen left in the MAAF and the strengths remained pretty static after that.

I can only find a record of the Singapore squadron being issued with 3 Spits towards the end of 1951. Can find nothing on the other squadrons. After a period on Spits, all the squadrons were scheduled to convert to jets, Vampires. However, that did not happen. A second squadron was also proposed for Singapore but not proceeded with.

In November 1958, just over a year after independence, the KL and Penang units were disbanded and their aircraft and spares were absorbed into the newly formed RMAF.

Bruce Robertson, in the first 1960 edition of his splendid book, ‘Spitfire-Story of a Famous Fighter’ listed all known surviving examples.

Two Spitfires are of interest on this list SM997 and TP205 with the latter particularly relevant. They did not survive past the 1950’s and no internet or instant messaging then.

A number of b/w and colour shots have subsequently surfaced over the years of SM997, but not one, to my knowledge of TP205, a SiAAF machine.

Bruce Robertson in his text said it was in PR Blue finish.

I have wondered if this anonymous shot might be TP205.

Anybody recognise it or the general geography?

Mark

Because they used Roman up to (IIRC) 1947, marks after that having the by then less unwieldy (more wieldy? :rolleyes: ) Arabic system. Most people were / are comfortable with the lower numbers either way, getting into the teens was getting problematic. (A regular forum Typo is 1X for IX or 11 rather than II (2) – mixing two incompatible systems.)

Spitfires in service in the period such as the PR.XIX Spitfire were XIX prior to the change, 19 after.

Not that I know anything about Spitfires. 😉

Cheers!

Why were some models of the Spitfire given a designation in Roman numerals but others in numbers?

Because they used Roman up to (IIRC) 1947, marks after that having the by then less unwieldy (more wieldy? :rolleyes: ) Arabic system. Most people were / are comfortable with the lower numbers either way, getting into the teens was getting problematic. (A regular forum Typo is 1X for IX or 11 rather than II (2) – mixing two incompatible systems.)

Spitfires in service in the period such as the PR.XIX Spitfire were XIX prior to the change, 19 after.

Not that I know anything about Spitfires. 😉

PK683 Issued to the SiAAF 24 July 1951.

Later, c1955, became the Malayan Auxiliary Air Force.

Mark

That’s interesting..years in Singapore in the 60’s and I can’t remember hearing of the ‘Singapore Auxiliary Air Force’ before!

Here’s Mk24 PK683 when she was the ‘gate guard’ outside the Far East Air Force HQ block at Changi for many years in the 60’s.

She was trotted out each year for Changi’s Battle-of Britain display and luckily has ended up preserved in the museum at Southampton.

David Taylor.

Why were some models of the Spitfire given a designation in Roman numerals but others in numbers?

There’s a photo of PK683, in “Spitfire International,” during its time as a gate guard, but it appears to have been painted in a “representative” Battle of Britain QV-A scheme.
Edgar

Mk XVIII – SM972 & TP205

Mk 24 – PK681, PK683 & VN494

Mark