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Re: SPITFIRE HFVIII
32 Sq certainly did have four Mk.VIIIs, and a photo shows one with the extended tips. 81 took its Mk.VIIIs to India but didn't (AFAIK) operated them with the DAF. There's a long list of Mk.VIII squadrons to check, but are you asking just for Mk.VIIIs or specifically those with the extended tips? They were not HF variants but standard F with the Merlin 63. The intention was that such aircraft were all fitted with the extended tips, but in combat these were found to cause excessive stresses in the wing roots, leading to failures and the scrapping of at least the wing. Most Mk.VIIIs thereafter were the LF variant with the Merlin 66, but this was only slightly "lower" rated than the Merlin 63. The true HF variant had the Merlin 70, and these were all later aircraft.
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