Spitfire Mk Va W3185
 

Friends
Bader flew Spitfire WK Va W3185 August in 1941 with base in Tangmere. Could anybody tell me if that aircraft had a painted emblem in the fuselage below the exhaust?
Thanks.
Brettas
www.avesdobrasil.com.br
www.eduardobrettas.blogspot.com
Bird in Brazil

Re: Spitfire Mk Va W3185
 

Does nobody know that aircraft?
Brettas

Re: Spitfire Mk Va W3185
 

Brettas,

On port side, W3185 carried a wing commander's pennant under the canopy and on the lower cowling was Bader's badge of Hitler getting a boot up the backside (as seen on his 242 Hurricane). On the starboard side in front of windscreen is believed to have been "Lord Lloyd 1" (Source - Ventura Publishing "Classic Warbirds 7")

Osprey's Mark V Spitfire Aces does not show the personal Hitler/boot emblem in their profile but this appears to be incorrect as I have a photo where the emblem is visible.

Best,

Tim

Re: Spitfire Mk Va W3185
 

Not sure about the number of this one but its dated July 1941 and shows the emblem: boot kicking Hitlers jaxy.

Best Wishes.
Robert.

Re: Spitfire Mk Va W3185
 

Hello,

A photo of a Spitfire on page 77 of "The Spitfire Log" by Peter Haining that shows the 242 Boot.
Caption reads "A Flying Officer of 242 Spitfire Squadron with its distinctive emblem. When this picture was taken on April 2nd 1941 the squadron had given Hitler 169 'kicks' in the pants'- i.e. had shot down that number of 'Jerries'."

As for Spitfire Mark V Aces 1941-45 by Price, on page 19 the photo shows "DB" standing in the cockpit , the penant is clearly seen but the photo is cut off at the rear exhaust stack so front of it is not visible. credit is via Sakar, so if there is a full picture that shows the a/c nose then he may have it.

All for now
Alex

Re: Spitfire Mk Va W3185
 

Alex
I have a photo that shows Bader leaving the cockpit of your Spitfire, but doesn't appear the emblem of the boot with Hitler, below of the exhaust.
See the line of painting of the inferior and superior camouflage between the fuselage and the close inferior panel to the exhaust
Could this aircraft be then MK II P7966 flown by him in March of 1941?
http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/i...tas/DB1big.jpg
Um abraço,
Brettas

Re: Spitfire Mk Va W3185
 

Robert,
Thank you very much for the image.
Um abraçlo,
Brettas

Re: Spitfire Mk Va W3185
 

The main problem here is that the same photos of D-B coded Spitfire(s?) are usually captioned as either P7966 or W3185 by various authors. To my knowledge most (all?) of them show P7966 in fact.

Re: Spitfire Mk Va W3185
 

VoyTech
It is this that is happening, I have been seeing several books with photos and deferential profiles.
Thank you for your answer
Brettas