VVS Museum birds after the GPW did have Stars added to the upper wing surfaces..infact they were often re painted in "heroic" colours that they never saw combat in.
The La7 at Monino even now shows the stars on the upper surfaces that it never had. It was this practice that led modellers all over the world adding upper wing stars to ac that never used them.
http://www.1000aircraftphotos.com/Contributions/Riabsev/2243.htmDan the Spit IX pic you show seems to be at a museum............is it? 2nd reason I ask is the style of the numbering which was not typical.
Also is that a direction finding radar loop on the back of that Spit IX? (Post GPW in Russia I have an La7 picture with a similar loop that was a museum item after the war.)
Re the Spit in the article "Spitfires over the Kuban" what nationality are the engineers working on the air craft......they look to be dressed in std RAF desert garb to me.
Abadan was an US/UK aircraft assembly plant until late 43 when it became a delivery point for aircraft assembled in Basra.
http://www.army.mil/cmh-pg/books/wwii/persian/chapter13.htmAlso note that the Stars are on but not the air craft or unit code. From this I would surmise that these stars have been added (in this case) by Brits.
I consider that Dans Picture is possibly of a Spit IX "dressed for display" not with its normal camo and markings.
I would not be infatic about this point............... I would just suggest that when in doubt do NOT add stars to the upper wing surfaces
