I’d imagine they are known crash sites where there might be a few remains

To get an interesting American view of the RAF P-38 saga, I can recommend Warren Bodie’s Lightning book – it does come across as a little Anglophobic at times, but makes some salient points. His opinion is that the prime reason the RAF wanted out the contract was the UK’s rapidly diminishing currency reserves meant we couldn’t afford it.

A now cleaned up colour transparency gifted to me last year.

Interesting photo mark12, it’s quite a common shot of the 601 line up, but the first time I’ve seen a version of it in colour – taken shortly after or before.

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This one is perhaps better known

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I do also hate that name along with some other aeroplanes that seem to of picked them up out of knowhere

PA474 per chance?

Possibly XN956, which was a Ground Instruction/BDRT airframe at Laarbruch

http://www.blackburn-buccaneer.co.uk/S1_XN956_files/0_S1_XN956.html

In the Squadron/Signal Publication no 39 “Spitfire in action” page 5 there is a “Flight” photograph of a 602 squadron machine with the same strip. It is noted as a flame damping strip.
I havn’t come across many mk 1s with one. I think the early Spitfires had the forward fuel tank as the outer cowling but this was subsequently covered over with an armoured cowling that stood a bit proud of the other panels.

M12s pic is also a 602 aircraft – possibly a local modification for night fighting? Or for attaching plates to?

I believe her last refit was more of a marking time type of thing, making sure that she WAS SEAWORTHY and could be used until she was paid off for the last time, which was why it was ‘just’ £40m. Had they had serious plans for using her beyond 2014 then they would lopped off the ramp, no need for it since there were no Harriers to be had and it was useless for anything else – but that would cost more than they would be prepared to pay, even for just a bit more deck space.

The Invincibles had embarked other nations Harriers before (Most recently Ark Royal hosted a USMC squadron) so retaining the ski jump would have been sensible if retaining the ship.

That’s a heading I never thought I’d see! Splendid work.