Help identify a crashed Spitfire with "A / E" markings

[gilles collaveri]

hi everybody,

a friend of mine has a nice picture of a flipped over crash landed spitfire in a field.

It looks like a spit V or IX (but no clipped wings), three blade prop (blades bent = metal), three exhaust pipes,
I would say that the markings are rather early (yellow surrounding on the fuselage roundel : 1941 / 1942 ?) and on each side of the fuselage roundel you can see:
"A" on the left and
"E" on the right.

serial number not legible.

A German soldier is looking at it (so it crashed in an occupied country), many damages can be seen and oil leaks,
so it was clearly shot down.

The field is ploughed but no vegetation, so it was winter or early spring ?

Sorry, but this friend cannot show this picture, it is not his property....

can you help identify ?

thanks

GC

[Larry]

From what you have said I don't think it was a Spitfire Mk IX, as these had four bladed props as far as I can see from my files.

Can you tell from the photo whether the A or the E is part of the Sqn code or the individual aircraft letter and which side are they painted; port or starboard?

Some Squadrons painted the Sqn codes so that they were nearest the cockpit on each side and the individual code letter nearest the tail where it would fit a bit easier, while other Sqns painted the code to read the same each side.

I was wondering if the Spitfire was from 41 Sqn being A-EB with the B hidden

[gilles collaveri]

Hi Larry and thanks for the remark on MkIX,

it is very clear, you can see:

"A" then the roundel, and then "B",

there are no hidden letters so, the idea of "A EB" can be ruled out.

It is in fact strange: instead of having the standard:
"two letters"/ the roundel/ "one letter", you clearly have
"one letter"/roundel/"one letter"

and this is absolutely symmetrical , it is the same on both sides;

The mystery stays..

GC

[Larry]

I'm wondering if it could have been the personal 'mount' of a senior Commander like having D-B for Douglas Bader and that someone else borrowed it for an op and got shot down.

Or the first letter of the code was painted out to repair damage and it got used on an op before they had time to paint the missing letter.

[Graham Boak]

AB is not listed as a personal code in Combat Codes. However, if it is the same on both sides then it is very unlikely to be unfinished painting. This is perhaps one to be sent to Andy Thomas in the hope that more information has come to light since his book was published.

[Revi16]

In post #1 you indicate the code is A roundel E, then in post #3 you say "A" then the roundel, and then "B". Which is it?

[gilles collaveri]

OOOPPPSSS !!

my fault !!!!

thanks Revi16 for pointing out my mistake.

The letters on the aircraft are "A E", and not "A B" (as in post 3)

sorry Graham (and others) for having made you search on the wrong letters.

I probably went to school to long and repeated "A B C .." too much.

Sorry about that.

GC

[Graham Boak]

s'OK, I checked AE as well. It didn't appear either. Incidentally, Combat Codes does have BA as used, but unknown user or type.

[kaki3152]

402 RCAF used the code "AE" and they flew Spitfire?

[Graham Boak]

Originally Posted by kaki3152

402 RCAF used the code "AE" and they flew Spitfire?

The squadron code was treated as a single unit, placed together on one side of the roundel, and would not be separated.