Spitfire serial number ?

[Alex Smart]

Hello,

Can anyone tell me the serial number of the Spitfire in the attached photo please ?

thanks
Alex

[Graham Boak]

The aircraft is an early Mk.Vc operated by 249 Sq, who did prefer the dark colour scheme, and was almost certainly delivered in Operation Calendar or Bowery. I have three possibilities, all Calendar deliveries.

BR242 I have listed as 249A, and a Calendar delivery. Later MK-A
BP955 I also have listed as 249A, later X-A, but originally J of 601 Sq. This is probably the aircraft seen in the photographs of Denis Barnham, when it was still fitted with all four cannon.
BR190 was delivered as 2A, I don't have a unit allocation so probably not 249 Sq.

Many of these Spitfires are not recorded with squadron codes, so it is impossible to be definite from the information I have. There may be other possibilities. Of the three, I'd favour the first.

[PeterA]

EP338 was recorded with the code T-A in Malta.

PeterA

[Graham Boak]

Thanks for the example, and I suspect there are more. However, EP338 was a Mk.Vb, delivered in Operation Pinpoint, whereas this is one of the original 4-cannon Mk.Vc. It has the additional bulge ahead of the aileron, only seen on early Mk.Vc, and the cannon in the outer position.

[Alex Smart]

Hello Graham and Peter,

Thank you both for the replies.
I had thought that it just might have bee EP716 ?
Any idea as to how EP716 arrived in Malta please?
Aces High has her as "X-T" while Spitfires over sicily has her as "X-A"which was it please ?

Thanks
Alex
EP716 was a 229 Sqdn a/c the one in the photo looks to be a 249 a/c however.

[Graham Boak]

EP716 was another Mk.Vb. Spitfire the History has no record of her passing through Gibraltar, and the timing suggests strongly that she was delivered in Operation Bellows, on HMS Furious, direct from Glasgow. I believe this was the first trip with the DH Hydromatic propellor, with different pitch angles allowing better take-off performance.

I'd missed both references for the codes, but my list only goes up to the end of 1942 so that excuses ones of them! It could of course have carried both at different times - is this possibility supported by dates in the Aces High reference?

[Alex Smart]

Thank you Graham.

Alex