Guppy35 asked me if I could do some 602 Squadron Spitfire skins. I've already done a Mk I from this squadron but between Guppy35, Lyric1 and myself we've found info for another four. The Spit IX is an adoption of one previously skinned by Fencer, the other three are all new. The Spitfire Mk VII was a high altitude variant equipped with a high alt Merlin, pressurised cockpit and extended wingtips, its considered an acceptable substitution for our Mk VIII.
602 "City of Glasgow" Squadron began the war in Scotland flying Spitfires and in August 1940 moved to south east England to take part in the Battle of Britain. In 1941 they flew offensive sorties over France until in the run up to D Day they were transferred to the 2nd Tactical Air Force. After the invasion until the end of the war they supported ground troops at low level using Spitfire Mk XVIs.
This 602 Squadron Spitfire Mk Vb was flown by Squadron Leader Brendan "Paddy" Finucane from March to June 1942. It was donated to the RAF by the Queen of Tonga and so bore her name "Queen Salote" on its side, it also carried Finucane's personal shamrock emblem and the squadron badge on the nose. Unusually it was repainted at some point with the Ocean grey and Dark green colours reversed from their normal positions.
Born in Ireland Brendan Finucane moved to England in 1936 and joined the RAF in 1938. Despite struggling through training he gained his wings and flew with 65 Squadron during the Battle of Britain, scoring two kills. After transferring to 452 squadron he scored 20 more kills in 1941, like many aces he was an exceptionally good shot. In January 1942 he was given command of 602 Squadron and in June promoted again to Wing Commander of the Hornchurch Wing, at 22 the youngest ever RAF Wing Commander. In July however he met his end as his squadron was crossing the coast of France at low altitude on its way back from a "Rhubarb" sortie. The Germans had noted RAF fighters often used this isolated stretch of coast and had placed a machine gun team in the dunes there. Finucane's Spitfire took a bullet in the cooling system and he was forced to ditch in the Channel, he was never seen again.
This Spitfire Mk VII was stationed at Skeabrae Station, an airfield that covered the Royal Navy's Fleet anchorage at Scapa Flow in the Orkney Islands. Although carrying 312 Squadron markings on 20th February 1944 it was being flown by Pilot Officer Ian Blair of 602 Squadron when he was ordered to intercept a high flying Luftwaffe reconnaissance aircraft. This turned out to be a Bf 109G-6/R-3 of 1(F)./120 flown by Oblt. Helmut Quednau. Climbing to over 30,000 feet Blair caught the 109 as it attempted to escape in a dive, blowing its right wing clean off. This aircraft was painted in the RAF's high altitude scheme of Medium Sea Grey upper and PRU Blue lower surfaces.
This Spitfire Mk IX was flown by Pilot Officer Pierre Clostermann, France's leading ace of World War Two. At the outbreak of the war Clostermann's application to join the Armee de L' Air was denied despite him already having a private pilot's license. He was able to join the Free French Air Force in the UK during 1942 and following training was assigned to the French 341 Squadron in 1943 where he scored his first two kills. He transferred to 602 Squadron in October and with them was one of the first French pilots to land in Normandy in June 1944. After a spell at French AF HQ he flew with the RAF's 274, 56 and 3 Squadrons during 1945.
This 602 Squadron Spitfire Mk XVI was flown as part of the RAF's 2nd Tactical Air Force by Pilot Officer Cecil Zuber of the Royal Australian Air Force during 1945. Operating at low altitudes 2TAF found its aircraft were increasingly being bounced from above by USAAF 8th Air Force fighters returning from escort sorties. So to aid recognition from above in early 1945 their fighters' upper wing roundels had white and yellow hoops added. This particular aircraft also retained its rear fuselage lower D Day stripes, presumably to reduce the chances of friendly fire from the ground.
