Spitfire camouflage

[Graham Boak]

Yet the two behind have the "proper" roundel, and supposedly are all the same unit at the same time.

However, I place some doubt on the caption. We have three different styles of unit/individual marking. One full coding. One with only the individual letter forward, one with the individual letter aft, and both of these are coded A. I suspect the photo is taken at an MU or similar second-line organisation.

Is there any known pattern to these "B" roundels on the fuselage? Units, timescale?

[VoyTech]

Originally Posted by Graham Boak

However, I place some doubt on the caption. We have three different styles of unit/individual marking. One full coding. One with only the individual letter forward, one with the individual letter aft, and both of these are coded A. I suspect the photo is taken at an MU or similar second-line organisation.

Exactly. I think I saw the photo in the IWM Photo Archive and the caption did mention training of Yugoslav erks but not in a regular unit. I guess whoever wrote the caption on this website was mislead by the unit code on one Spitfire.

Is there any known pattern to these "B" roundels on the fuselage? Units, timescale?

I recall two in 249 Sqn markings plus at least two of other units (don't recall which one). All late 1943 to 1944 IIRC.