SPITFIRE MARKINGS OF THE RAAF part 2 FRANK SMITH & PETER MALONE $1 cama. ier # KOOKABURRA TECHNICAL PUBLICATIONS boo rar aed $17 aust _Series 3 No 6 | HISTORIC AIRCRAFT BOOKS PUBLISHED BY KOOKABURRA TECHNICAL PUBLICATIONS DANDENONG, VICTORIA, AUSTRALIA © CONTENTS COPYRIGHT KOOKABURRA TECHNICAL PUBLICATIONS 1971 UK AND EUROPEAN DISTRIBUTORS ALMARK PUBLISHING CO LTD 104-106 WATLING AVE, EDGWARE, MIDDLESEX HA8- ONP, UK | ALL OTHER PLACES THE PUBLISHERS KOOKABURRA TECHNICAL PUBLICATIONS 8] POTTER ST, DANDENONG 3175, VIC, AUSTRALIA cr. Thrée shark-mouthed Spitfires_of No 487 Squadron RAAF near Moroial, in id-1945, The lead machine, A58-631, ZP-V, flown by Fit-Lt Serimgeaur, scored the second last RAAF “kill” of the war on 20h June 1945 when it shar down a high-flying grey-green Japanese “Dinah intruder.A “Grey Nuese” preparatory to striking. Page 13. During 1944, Nos 54, 79, 452 and 457 Squad- rons re-equi -d with the faster, more powerful Mk VIII Spitfire which was such a joy to those who flew it. The majority of the first 251 air- craft delivered (AS8-300/5$0) were standard LF Vills powered by the Merlin 66 engine, Most of these machines were delivered in the standard RAF South-East Asia Command finish of dark earth and dark green upper surfaces with light grey or sky blue undersurfaces. The majority of these aircraft were repainted after arrival in Aus- tralia, probably by maintenance units, and before entering service the squadrons. However there is evidence to suggest that some of these earlier Spitfire Vills, particularly those of the Aircraft Performance Unit and Nos 2 and 8 Operational Training Units, were left in their original finish for some time. ‘A wide variation in colour schemes was applied, depending largely on the area of operation and Spitfire of No 457 Squadron emulates its fearsome nam The aircraft is 58-672, ZP-¥, sake as it rolls anto its side @ further photograph of which appears on the paint stocks held by the maintenance units. Generally the RAF dark earth was overpainted with either of the darker RAAF colours, dark earth or carth brown. Also in some cases the RAF dark green was overpainted with RAAF dark green or foliage green, The undersurface colours were often left as received, but in some cases were repainted. A variety of shades appear have been used, ‘ranging from light blue through various shades of grey to a colour sim- Har to RAF sky. scheme much in evidence particulatly with No 432 Squadron aircraft (although it was also used by No $4 Squadron and. some machines of No 457 Squadron) was the overpainting of the RAF dark earth with RAAF foliage green (a blacker and darker green than the RAF colour). Because of the similarity of the two colours. and the fact that they were blended into one another by Overspraying, it is almost SPITFIRE MARKINGS OF THE RAAF Pacific Area 1944-45 Part 2 Frank Smith & Peter Malonepos Teme Three ically car flight in easly 1944. AS8-315 was assigned to No t APU and iilage of dark er y. The other two alreraft, 05 were ‘allatied 10 No $48 Squadron RAF and appear to be finished in the dark en and Joliage green scheme de Lowe IrLt Dick Due's camouflaged AS84653, ZP-H which is illustrated on Page 5. raight edge to the white wing ‘which thinly followed curve of the leading edge on the upper surfaces. reel Speen. aLeft. A58-366, ZP-G suflered a brake failure and ran off the end of the taxi sustained, Finish was the standard RAAF scheme of fot minor damage’ w or RAAF dark earth with sky blue undersurfaces. ‘ay on 288-44 but only ige green and earth brown Right. AS8-504, QY-E at Balikpapan in 1945 showing lis very indistinct dark green and foliage green upper surface pattern with sky blue wndersurfaces. Note how the white of the fin flash has started 10 lift, showing the RAF- Caldweil’s AS8-484 is in the backeround, impossible to determine any camouflage pattern on machines finished in this manner, as can be seen by inspection of the photographs in this book. “This scheme was not without official support, for in a formal application to RAAF headquarters the AOC of the North Western Area sought approval for the revised colours which had been newly introduced by field com- manders. Typically perhaps, this did not take place until the new colour scheme had been in use for some time! There is also the strong possibility that the undersurface colour on some, if not all machines was changed from medium sea grey to sky blue, for the latter colour was specifically mentioned in the above request, A number of machines were delivered in the standard RAF desert camouflages of dark earth and middle stone upper surfaces. These appear le flash underneath. Clive to have been kept in reserve at airstrips well to. the south of the Darwin area, and the majority were probably repainted before entering service. However some are known to have served with both Nos 457 and 54 Squadrons whilst painted in their original colours. One such aircraft was AS8-465, ZP-H (see illustration on Page 5), which later became QY-K after repainting. ‘No. 79 Squadron utilized a fairly standard two-tone. green pattern on the upper surfaces of tts machines and this was carried right round the fuselage rearward of the wings. ‘The two greens showed a strong contrast and an example of this practice can be seen on Page 19. One can only conclude from all available evidence that the lighter colour was a local mixture, probably of surplus foliage green and aireraft white. The two-tone green aireraft in No 79 Squadron have A58-435, QY-T flown by ace FlioLt Ron Cundy DFC, DFM appears to be an unusual bird. The evenness of the upper sucface camouflage suggests that it was probably ov green and dark green scheme common with this squadcon and the spinner was black with white bands. foliage green and not she foliage “Pegasus” emblem and codes were light greyWhen No 85 Squadron was equipped with Spitfires in 1945 most of its aircraft came from units which had converted 10 the Mk VII ve The aircraft were stripped back ta natural metal, then serials and codes were applied in black. Many of these machines were combat weary and No 85 Squadron suffered a number of accidents similar to this one. The second Spiifire HF VII to reach the RAAF was used briefly for performance trials by No I APU at Laverton, and was then placed in storage. It is shown here in its original camouflage of dark © green and ocean grey upper surjaces with me undersurfaces. ‘ASB-717 was used by No 1 APU at Laverton, {rom April 1945, but probably because the war was drawing fo a close, no attempt was made to repaint ir in RAAF markings. Of interest are the RAAF serial painted on the white band above the British serial (MV 184), the very faded grey of the upper surfaces, and ihe silveredoped rudder. i© G. Pentland , Being delivered late in the war in November 1944, A58-627, ZP-Z retained its original jactory finish and was never repainted in the official RAAF camouflage scheme. See phoro on Page I. Mast RAAF Spitfires had been delivered in desert camouflage were repainted before being assigned to a squadron, However, a few were released without be ainted and Fii-Lt Dick Due's AS8-465, 2P-H was one such aircraft. AS8-604, ZP-D of No 457 Squadron shawed a variation from the normal in that it retained its sky spinier and rear fuselage band. The shark's tecth are also diferent to those an ZP-Z above, being white only, not red and white. S “F-K of No $49 Squadron was one of the jew natural-meral Spitfires ro operate in the North estern Area, but this unit, like $48, did not see combat. The size of the white cemre of the fuselage roundel was definitely non-standard, A58-391, DL-2Z nosed over, suffering minor damage ax depicied on Page 7. This ix a good example of Na 54 Squadron's normal ‘practice of using @ two-colour camouflage of foliage green and sky blue.Phowgraphed shorily ajter being jaken on charge by No 452 Squadron is AS8-411, Q¥-P, “Betsy”, the mount of F-O Peres Bullock. This machine (illustrated on Page 17) was finished ‘in foliage green and dark green and was heavil waxed and polished. Nore the desert-camouflaged aircraft waiting in the background awatting repainting before delivery to an operational unit. been verified by a number of pilots, and the colours identified as nearly as possible against mixed paint samples. Personal names or mascots were quite com- mon on the Spitfires of all squadrons, but as the practice was officially discouraged, ‘most were unpretentious in nature. Rank pennants and victory markings if carried were applied only to the port side of the fuselage forward of the cockpit. Similarly it was rare to find a nickname on both sides of the fuselage. No 85 Squadron was formed at Pearce, WA, for home defence in order to repel any carrier: borne aerial threat to Australia originating in the Indian Ocean. After phasing out their Boom. erangs, the pilots received MK Vc Spitfires, most of which had been overhauled after transfer from other squadrons. To comply with an order of 29th May 1944 the camouflage had been removed and the airframes stripped to bare metal except for aluminium-doped fabric surfaces. Never- theless, quite a number still carried white tails and the customary white leading edge strip. It was quite some time before permission was {0 remove the white markings altogether. squadron's SH code was invariably carried in black and the anti-glare panel forward of the cockpit was also painted in the same colour. Many interesting colour variations were seen on the spinners and rudders of the aiferaft of this squadron. The last 159 Spitfires (AS8-600/758) to be received by the RAAF ‘were the HF VIII Version. powered by the Merlin 70 engine. No 457 Squadron had’ completely re-equipped_ with this version by the end of 1944 and were issued with the majority of the HF VII consignment although No 79 received some and No 452 a few isolated examples. All HF VIlls received by the RAAF were finished in the standard RAF day’ fighter colours of dark green and ocean grey upper surfaces, with medium sea grey undersurfaces, a scheme they were to retain throughout their service life. The RAAF had, in fact, requested of Wickers-Supermarine, the manufacturers, that its Spitfires should be delivered in a camouflage scheme more suited to the tropical areas where the aircraft were to be operated. However, the penalty for this would have been delays in delivery which the RAAF ould snot accept; consequently the idea was shelved. In late 1944 No 457 Squadron began paintin; a shark mouth design on the lower cowling of their Spitfire HF Vills, the three colours being red, white and black. ‘The words “Grey Nurse”, idicating a man-eating shark found in Australian waters, were stencilled in white on both sides of the fuselage, Owing fo the ‘unpopularity ia higher quarters of needlessly garish markings, the original shark mouth was not especially large nor malevolent. However, later, since no action ‘had been taken and it appeared to contribute towards good morale—and in any case the squad- roa had now become quite famous on account of it—the mouth was revised and the ‘expression became truly fearsome! Just what effect the marking may have had on the Japanese will never be known, but om a Spitfire it certainly looked very effective from the nose-on position. Since Allied air superiority had now been estab- lished “in the islands over which Nos 79, 452 and 457 Squadrons now operated, their markings became correspondingly more colourful. The use ‘of red spinners on No 457's machines became more pronounced and bad been used, in fact, from late 1944 onwards. The three squadrons now comprised No 80 Fighter Wing, based at Morotai Island, and this was indicated on the aircraft of Nos 452 and 457 by means of a black and white eight-by-ien inch “Ace of Spades” emblem on the rudders. The marking was not used by No 79 Squadron perhaps because the majority of its aircraft still carried the white (but now considerably faded) tail marking peculiar to the New Guinea sector. Even $0, white tails were carried by a very small number of No 457’s machines. These markings were more than likely applied in error for the official orders on this matter were quite explicit and referred to the New Guinea area of operations only. As described in the photos and drawing captions,Top 10 bottom, left to right. Fli-Lt Ali Glendinning stands alongside his aircraft AS8-514, ZP-Q. This machine was finished in dark green and foliage green with sky blue undersurfac Note the red spinner. Bent bird of No 85 Squadron’ was AS8-130 with unusual identification symbol, Sqn-Ldr Lou Spence's 458-430, QY-V over Northern Australia in 1944. His rank pennant was carried just ahead of the cockpit and under this, the aircraft's nan ‘Rima IN” appeared in a similar style ta that of his Spitfire Ve (see Part I). At the end of the war AS8-657 is stripped of camouflage and used briefly as a “hack aireraft_ No 452 Squadron Spitfires at Sattler shortly before the move to Morotal. Near machine is 458-646, OY-Y. Reflected in a large rain puddle, AS8-614, ZP-O stands at readiness on Morotai in 1945. DL-V shows No $4 Squadron's method of painting the unit code in grey with ihe aircraft letter in white. A58-391, DL-Z of No 54 Squadron ajier a tanding accident. Note the small upper wing roundels and the absence af any white leading-edge strip.© G. Pentland 4 very good example of one of No 85 Squadrons immaculate Sptire Ve's was AS8-137, seen here, tn hraiural-alumininas finish with white empen The laiter feature wa only applicable to aircraft EUs, Ba fees eae came AY anes OND OS So Ruse aircraft. The codes read as the starboard side.Upper. Pictured after minor damage to its Vokes air filter is AS8-163, SH-L shawing the standard black anti-dazzle strip on ihe upper cowling and with well-polished surfaces. A small red asterisk may be discerned near the centre of the fuselage roundel. All three machines in this photograph have red spinners. Lower. Some of No 83 Squadron's aircraft in a hangar at Pearce, WA. They are AS8-18, SH-Y; AS8-248, SH-Z; and AS8-40 which has no unit identification. AS8-248, SH-Z was the aircraft of Sqn-Ldr Ken’ James.No 457 machines hark's mouth applied ¢ spinners of all th ia is shor shows all the f shortly after the squadron's move to: the island. pinners white with a white identification are the oversize underwing roundel and the being a replacement Upper. At Sa Squadron's aiver ZP.58-516, OFT, pilored by Fliekt L, grey exhaust stains, indicative of fe under the cockpit coloured spinners identified flights or various pilots within each squadron. ‘Since the roundel sizes had varied consider- ably in the case of the Spitfire Ve, an effort was made to standardize these sizes ‘when the Me ‘VIM version was introduced. Although mam of the huge 56 inch upper wing roundels mere aly had the red centre overpainted in white, round in all other positions were almost invariably 32 inches in external diameter with either a 20 inch or a 12 inch white centre. "Officially, however, the 32 inch roundel with a 12 inch centre should have been carried in all six positions. ‘The only other squadrons to operate the Spit- fire in Australia were the RAF squadrons Nos 348 and 349 which were formed with Mk VIIIs jin mid-1944. Unfortunately information on these two units is hard to obtain, and therefore little on their camouflage is known, The authors do however have cye witness accounts that when the itfires of Nos 548 and 549 Squadrons arrived in the Darwin area to replace Nos 452 and 457 which were moving up to Morotai, a ae ber of the former aircraft already had emoved and were sporting a natural metal fish, The codes ed by, these units were No S48 Squadren, 1s, and No 349 Squadron, ZF. Crompton tucks in close jor the photographer. engine tuned to run lean, and the two Japanese victory Nowe the In addition to the squadrons already mentioned, only three other units were: issued with the Spit: fire VII. These were No 2 GTU at Mildura, No & OTU at Parkes, and No I APU at eon. The, lat carried out many tests the ‘ype, including evaluation of the locally designed ton anti-G suit, the prototype of the now common space suit. "After the war some Spldres were stored, but the vast majority were destroyed or sold to scrap metal CREDITS ‘The authors gratefully acknowledge the assist- ance of the Air Historical Branch, RAAF, who generously provided research facilities, and re- leased hitherto secret. RAAF signals, camou- flage orders, and a wealth of other factual entation, They also wish 19 thank the following: Mr T. H. Trimble; Mr R. Addison; Caldwell, DFC and Bar, Polish Cross of, ‘Valour, Mr L. Reid, DFC, MHR; Mr H. Kennare, We-Cdr K. James, DEC; Mr P. Bullock; Mr P. Ward; Mr J. Bisley, DFC; Mr R. Cundy, DFC, DFM: Mr P. Wallace; Mr F. Harris: “We-Cdr K. Isacs; and many members of the No 1 Spitfire Wing Association who were very generous in their hel Typical scene at dispersal on Morotai in early 1945. Sqn-Lae Bruce Watson's red-nosed AS8-606, ZP-W is seen here on the left, this tine with the later-style large shark mouth,Upper. Fit-Lt L. 8. Crompton leading a flight of jive from No 452 Squadron near Morotai in December 1944. Camouflage was probably the dark green, foliage green and sky blue scheme with red spinne Note how AS8-316, the flight commander's ‘machine, was the anly one to have its squadron codes Behind the fuselage roundel. Lower. In August 1944, Squ-Lir Ken dames jlew AS8-424 in trials a Japanese “Tony”. AS8-424 retained its original “desert camouflage scheme and was issued No.7 AD 10 Eagle Farm near Brisbane for the tials and was reurned jor storage immediately afterwards.Upper. Seen here in immaculate condition on the civil strip at Darwin in 1944 is Na 54 Squadron's AS8-480, DL-Y. The machine appears (0 have dark green and foliage green on the upper surfaces and sky blue underneath. Codes were grey and white with black serial and red spinner. Most of the wheels and tyres have also been pained sky blue. Lower. WyCdr Glen Cooper's 458-672, ZP-Y, @ fairly typical example of a No 457 Squadron Spiifire lae in the war. Note how the white fuselage bard row partly obliterates the serial and the way the former large wing roundels have been over- Painted.No 85 Squadron AS8-I6, SHR is joined by ASB-221 SHS and AS8-72, SH-N jor a litile formation practice. A different combination of colours on the tail witit of each airerajt is evident. The white empennage and red rudder of SH-N is espe- cially noteworthy. Right, This photograph shows particularly well she up- per surface pauern oj AS8.627, ZP-2. (illustra. ted in colour on Page 5). Note haw the large dia meter of tle wing rawr dels has been reduced by overpainting. 14AS: ail cooling originated by Pro 303 was used by No I APU for many interesting exper eries af urgent tests in January 1944 and later, tesis in connection with the locally-designed anti-G suit, ssor Cotton of Melbourne Universivy No 54 Squadron Spitfire AS8-500, DE-R being refuelled on the Darwin civil strip in 1944. The spinner of this machine appears to be yellow. Note how sharply the sky blue undersucfaces contrast with the upper surface camouflage. DFC, an ace and a veteran of the heroic defence of Malta, stands alongside his Spiifire Vill A58-522, UP-A, appropriatcly named “Hal-Far” in memory of his former fighter base. This inachine was delivered in the British scheme of dark green, ocean grey and medium sea grey and did not have the two-tone green upper surfaces common in No 79 Squadron. Sky spinner with white name and codes. 1s Fi-Lt Len ReiRight. San-Ldr Ron Susans with his specially painted Spiijire A58-513, UP-X, which fe illus. trated’ opposite. This was apparently the first pre sentation Spitfire pir chased from funds raised ing the Australian Victory, Bonds appeal of 1944; hence “AVE The dst”. The gent on the left was the seeretary of the Manly Sub-branch of the RSE. In this aircraft SqneLdr Susans and an other friend travelled several hundred miles south to Sydney for a spot of leave, his comm panion riding behind him in the radio compart- ment whilst nuersing a golden cocker spaniel which had been presen- ted 10 the unit's CO. Lower, 458-492, UP-B, ‘Mae Hi” also iliustrared opposite, and the mount of F-O' Hugh Kennare. The unusual style of the letter Bis noteworthy, the machine having been previously coded UP-U when the squadron was first equipped with Spit- fire Vills at Oakey, Q.0 © = G, Pentland | ua i _ — awe LL Ksse250 = p =i = = ae 7 {vale o ~ i ro SS Diffecences in tail unit colaurs within No 85 Squadean were many and varied, AS8-250, SH-K havin 4 natural-alumiaium tailplane and fa with fabric covered flying surfaces. The wiite wing leadinge strip owt the upper surface wax only two inches wide at its thickest pointe = F-O Peter Bullock's waxed and polished AS8-#11, QY-P, “Betsy” in the dark green, foliage green and sky blue scheme, This machine had 32-in roundels in alt positions and she Sin wide white upper wing marking followed the curve of the leading edge. at | One of the Spitfires of WerCdy Clive Caldwell, DSO, DFC and Bar, Polish Cross of Valour, the foremost Spitfire exponent in the Pacific. Whilst the scoreboard was’ identical, comparison with the plows of AS8-#84 on Page 23 will show several notable difercnces. A striking aiveraft by any standards, AS8-513, UP-X is interesting in that it was a specially-pai | machine exhibiting the semi-gloss black-green camouflage also tsed on matty of No 22. Squadron's Beaufighters towards the end of the war. The colour was almost as dark as the Lufiwaffe's Schwarzeriin 70. In the words of a squadron member “This aireraft was painted the darkest green. but very glossy Bic really looked classy.”A line-up of No $4 Squadron airerajt in the Northern Territory. The end machine still Carries desest camouflage. Upper, Sqn-Ldr Ken James's aircraje AS8-651, UP-Z, at Mororai in 1945. Name “Judy 1?" and rank permant mder cockpit. Note also the white leading edge, sky spinner and the aircraft leiter repeated under the nose. Lower. An oddity was tris 4-cannon Spitfire of No 54 Squadron which, Jor all its firepower, had appalling manoeuvrabilityUpper. An exceptionally rare shot is this No $48 Squadron Spitfire AS8-394, TS.G which crashed near Darwin after an aitempted take-off. Nore how the sunlight makes the empennage appear_as white, whereas the whole aircraft was in fact natural metal win eres control surfaces. The front portion of the spinner however, does appear to be painted white. The black codes are very much ‘smaller than usweal. Slightly the worse for wear after a wheels-up landing, AS58544, UP-R shows 10 good effect No 79 Squadron's unusual camouflage scheme. Points of interest are the way the light green wraps around under the rear fuselage, ard the averpainting of part of the serial.© G. Pentland Toi Trimble The machine of Desert, This wax an fa mackine whasc rue condition for carcful attention to waving and polishing iad produced to official orders at this time. RAAF f required 10 be sectot would slide eff the trailing a veteran pilot of No 3 Squaidran RAAF in the some battered centre fuselage area belie quite @ glassy sheen. 0 highly waxed and polished that of its own accord! Spitfires, Boomerangs jected by this temporary requirement, a dey ch edge of the win and Kittyhawks were the only aircraft a 20Spuclde Tom Trinble's A58-45%, ZP-Z, the machine Murraied oppose, 3 yet another example of the oxidization of she paintwork cau a lean-running enginé vinner backplate and the tyre which has been partially painted Frese Leven Cloatue de olief tke Coote oaa ei hataareof No 85 Squadron seen on a training jlighs flying Hours and served in wm with No 2 Ne 457, No 54 and No 437 again finally handed over to Squadron. Lower. attern on the HE VIL is quite evident jrom this view of AS85I7, ZPG which came 10 grief after overshooting the strip at Morotai. Note the extent of the fading of ihe grey camouflage and of the large wing roundels arliest Spitfires, ASS-16, SH rom. In re being Upper, One of the very Perth, W.A. The aircraft shows the strUpper. Gp-Caps Caldwell talks wish Sqn-Lde Bruce Watson, the CO of No 437 Squadron, shority before the long ferry flight 10 Morotai in December 1944, Centre. Ajter a sortie, Caldwell discusses the performance of the same machine, AS8-484, with his fitters Lower. Another shot of ASE-d84 which was finished in earth brown, follage green and sky blag, Thi achin ot to be conjused with A58-464 illustraied on Page 17. The chiej differences on AS8-484 DG nl icad atte oP the “aca of Siar on tha Mader the BEL Seed seamen age, the marks above the fin flask, and the wavy camouflage line of the foliage green around nose, not visible in this photograph.Upper. The first aircraft to be painted with the shark's mouth, Sqn-Ldr Bruce Watson's AS8-606 fresh out of the paint shap in 1944, Note that the rank pennant to which Watson was en- titled as CO of th -F, “Hava also’ shown below. One of the most interesting Spitfires in No 79 Squadron, this aircraft is iMlustrated in colour on the back cover. A wi letter “F” outlined black was painted just under the spinner.Upper. 458-532, W-QY of No 452 Squadron at dispersal on Morotai as storm clouds gather overhead. Note the high placing of the No 80 Fighter ‘Ace of Spades” emblem on the rudder, Lower. AS8-603, ZP-S, near Clark Field, Manita, in 1945 showing a white spinner and rear fuselage band. The flamboyant shark's mouth, tater te-applied (see Page 19) was apparently removed’ especially jor this trip, perhaps out of deference to very senior officers. End of Part 2GN ace © = G, Pentland Probably the most photographed Spitfire VIM in No 79 Squadron, Flr-Lt Norm Smithell's A38-517, UP-F, “Hava Go Ja” was, certainly a striking aircraft in the odd two-tone green scheme which characterized most of the wnits machines, Vickers-Supermarine were unwilling to provide a Pacific area camouflage scheme suitable for the RAAF's 637 Spitfires, and it is Believed that the scheme shown was an effort by the workshops 10 both provide a more filting camouflage for use over multi-coloured tropical waters and also The green. spinner indicates an aircraft of Blight, and the pink elephant repre 's cartoon character Dumbo. According to members if the squadron, the elephant marking was a light-hearted reference to the bulk of thix machine's usual occupantt