Spitfire of 242 Squadron - North Africa 1942-43

[Tim O.]

A long shot I know, but would anyone be prepared to share images of Spitfire Mk VCs belonging to No. 242 Squadron at the turn of the year 1942-43 in North Africa. I would like to get a profile done of ER778 and am struggling to find reference material.

Thanks for any help.

[Buckeye30]

Tim - ER778 was a Vb (Merlin 46) dedicated "Spirit of Beverley" they had Vb s April 42 to Dec. 43 and Vc s July 43 to Feb.44. At the time you said they were in Algeria.
I havn't seen a photo but almost certainly in Desert scheme with stencilled serial, their "LE" codes weren't always carried (more common on their Mk.IXs) and spinners should have been red as on ER773 but sometimes black or Dark Earth.
Hope you find a photo.


Nick

[Tim O.]

Thanks Nick. My typo, I meant VB. Keeping my fingers crossed but I know such images are very rare.

[Zoran Petek]

Hello,
Sqn's code was B then, and LE was used before and again later.

[Tim O.]

Thanks Zoran. Yes, I believe the shortened codes used in Operation Torch were still in use in early 1943.

[Buckeye30]

Zoran. With regard to single-letter Spitfire codes in N. Africa-Malta in this period (1942-43) I would appreciate your thoughts on these, or corrections.


G...81 Sqn Algeria 1942-3
L..152 Sqn NW Africa 1942-3
V...1435 Sqn (permanent)
T...249 Sqn Malta 1942-3
J...93 Sqn Algeria 1943
B...242 Sqn "Torch" 1942, Algeria
X...229 Sqn Malta 1942-3
X...(603 Sqn)? Malta 1942 possible transfer
V...126 Sqn 1942 short period (transfer?)
Obviously codes were not always changed due to time limits which can be confusing.
242 reverted back to "LE" by the time of Operation "Husky" eg ER163 LE--J. This was about the time they got their Mk. Vc s.


Thanks

Nick

[Zoran Petek]

Hello,

From a brief look, and not a definitive list:
72 G, than RN 43
81 F, than FL 43
92 GR Gibraltar 42, than QJ
93 J, than HN 43, than DV 45 on Mustangs, renamed from 237
126 X Malta, than MK 42, than TD 43, than 5J in UK 44. On Malta Spitfires often flew as a pool.
145 SO in UK, than none, than ZX
152 L, than UM 43
154 Possibly H? (looks like ES187 was coded H-C), than HT, than HG in UK.
185 none Malta, than GL 43
229 X Malta, than HB 43, 9R in UK 44
242 B 42, than LE
249 T, than GN. Also delivery codes 3, 22.
601 Delivery codes 1, 2, 3, than UF
603 Delivery codes 2, 4
1435 V

Zoran

[Buckeye30]

Many thanks Zoran. Looks like 154 used "C" in 1943, some examples here.... Nick



https://www.asisbiz.com/il2/Spitfire...M-MEC2032.html


https://www.asisbiz.com/il2/Spitfire...r-1943-0B.html


https://www.asisbiz.com/il2/Spitfire...r-1943-0A.html


https://www.asisbiz.com/il2/Spitfire...-1943-IWM.html

[Zoran Petek]

Hello,

Great find!
I'll try to check some during weekend.

Zoran

[Buckeye30]

A quick update on "G" Spitfires. I think this must be 81 Sqn. The well-known photo of "G--R" EN455 (Mk.IX) usually says 81 Sqn. at Souk-el-Khemis in April 1943.
EN455 was flown by F/O D.W. Rathwell RCAF (81 Sqn.) on 20th April when he shared an Me109 on a sweep to Bizerta; they were operating from "Paddington" airstrip, one of the 6 SOUK airfields named after London railway stations (Tunisia).
EN455 is recorded as dedicated "FORT HUDSON'S HOPE" on a couple of web-sites but it may not have been painted on. She was in the Desert Scheme.

I can't remember seeing an "F" Spitfire (?) but my memory isn't what it was.



Regards
Nick