IIRC there is quite a lot of info relating to this in ‘Bing’ Cross’ ‘Straight and Level’ but my copy is awol at the mo 🙁

It’s been some time since I read it but I recall that they were MKVs which had ‘tweaked’ Merlins, four-blade props, no radio or IFF, only one oxygen bottle, no armour and only two .50 cal Brownings with very little ammo, high-altitude pointed wingtips, no rear-view mirror, individual exhaust stacks, either aboukir filter or possibly none at all, lots of filler and a very smooth highly-polished finish.

The aircraft ended up in such a ‘mod state’ after their numerous attempts to reach the Ju-86s and trying one thing at a time. With no radios they would be scrambled with a radio equipped Spit and guided until visual contact was made. After the first Ju-86 was intercepted and hit their missions over the Nile Delta ceased.

Tom

It was ‘248, she came over Booker at approx 1800 and was beating up Lane End whilst ‘213 was beating up Radnage/Piddington 😀

The Grace Spit is currently ‘wearing’ a loaned spinner 😉

Tom

IIRC the Yale and early Harvards had rounded wingtips which gave them ‘interesting’ handling characteristics, they were squared-off on the Harvard/T-6.

Tom

One of the true pioneers of aviation authors, as many have previously said my first aviation book was given to me on my 8th birthday, ‘Hurricane and Messerschmitt at War’, I didn’t put it down for hours and it was one of the ‘sparks’ that set me off on the aviation trail. Thank you Chaz for all of your hard work over the years, rest in peace and my sincere condolences to the family.

Tom

I wonder if Steve was referring to the differences between the early MKIs and later aircraft seeing as K9942 has reverted to her original look.

If so then the changes as time went on consisted of:

Completely flat hood changed for type with bulge in upper area whilst retaining the flat sides and a ‘knock-out’ panel on the port side.

Originally straight aerial mast changed to an angled streamline section on later aircraft.

Additional armour-glass mounted into the originally curved screen.

Gun muzzles on each three (?) outboard guns were moved further back into the wing on later MKIAs so that it was easier to apply fabric patches over the gun ports, there is a good line-up shot of early Spits taken at Duxford which shows this off to good effect.

2-blade wooden Watts Propeller was changed to a 3-bladed DeHavilland Metal prop, occasionally seen fitted with a Rotol prop and its associated blunt spinner.

Can’t remember completely if the early MKIs had rear-view mirrors, don’t think so but my memory is not great!

The paint schemes also varied quite a bit from the first production aircraft to the later Battle of Britain aircraft so that’s something to bear in mind if you haven’t already found it out yourself 😉

Tom

Lifted from Mike’s Preserved Axis Aircraft site:

http://www.preservedaxisaircraft.com/

Bf 109E-7

W/Nr 1983

England CR

Red ? 5/JG 5

Under restoration to flying condition by Charleston Aviation Services for German client.

It’s alleged that it never joined the RLM collection.

Tom

Well done all, as an ex-Booker aircraft it’s great to see the old girl is getting plenty of attention, will you be adding segmented spinner colours as in the WWII photo? it’d be a nice little touch IMHO.

Regards Tom