November 2014: Pre-war Supermarine Spitfire Mk. I – 17 Photos

Each photograph is offered at a 300dpi res/13x8cm size making them available for a very good quality digital print, but also for Iphone/IPad, smartphone or computer screen (but should convert the image into a jpeg format for doing so)

 

Photo Spitfire 01: No. 19 Squadron was the first fighter unit to be equipped with the Spitfire. Spitfire Mk.I K9795 was issued to the squadron in September 1938.

Photo Spitfire 02: Spitfire Mk.Is of No. 65 Squadron, based at Hornchurch in 1939. The 65 received its first Spitfires in March that year. The codes at that time were FZ, later changed to YT when war broke out.

Photo Spitfire 03: No. 65 Squadron Spitfire Mk.Is flying in formation before the war. Leading, K9906/FZ-L, one of the first Spitfires issued to the squadron in March 1939.

Photo Spitfire 04: The same formation taken at another moment, higher in the sky, above the cloud.

Photo Spitfire 05: In November 1938, it was the turn to No. 66 Squadron to convert on the Spitfire. K9987 was allocated to the squadron in May 1939. It crash-landed at Duxford shortly after the outbreak of war.

Photo Spitfire 06: Another Spitfire Mk.I of No. 66 Squadron, but remains unidentified. The letter A in a squadron was normally reserved to the CO.

Photo Spitfire 07: In April 1939, No. 72 Squadron exchanged its Gladiators for Spitfires. Note on this one, the Squadron’s emblem painted on the fin, an unusual practice in 1939. The codes were changed for RN in September 1939.

Photo Spitfire 08: Wearing the pre-war codes WZ, a Spitfire of No. 19 Squadron is being prepared for another practice flight.

Photo Spitfire 09: Spitfire Mk.Is of No. 19 Squadron being prepared. The codes were changed to QV in September 1939.

 

Photo Spitfire 10: Same scene of the above, taken from a different angle.

Photo Spitfire 11: Spitfire Mk.I of No. 19 Squadron in flight. This one has still the two blades propeller.

Photo Spitfire 12: No. 19 Squadron’s Spitfire Mk.Is flying in formation before the war.

Photo Spitfire 13: No. 41 Squadron received its first Spitfires in January 1939. The codes were changed to EB at the outbreak of war.

 

Photo Spitfire 14: One very early No. 19 Squadron’s Spitfire Mk.I, K9796, ready to start its engine in 1938.

Photo Spitfire 15: Spitfire Mk. I K9906/FZ-L of No. 65 sqn flying solo with its pre-war markings (see also photos 03 & 04).

Photo Spitfire 16: Spitfire Mk. I K9912 seen at factory before delivery. Issued to No. 65 Sqn, it would be lost at Dunkirk on 26 May 1940.

Photo Spitfire 17: Spitfire Mk. I K9970/LO-D of 602 Sqn seen at the outbreak of war.