Skin: JE-J "JR", Spit Mk IX... BEER RUN!

[jocko-]

Spitfire Mk IX MK329, coded JE-J "JR", flown by W/C J. E. "Johnnie" Johnston.  This was a secondary aircraft of Johnston's for personal use, mostly for shuttling between airfields on the continent.  It is probably most famous for it's use in delivering barrels of beer to the frontline folks using it's own bomb racks!  Sorry, no barrels available in HTC stores...  Typical paint scheme but with the fuselage invasion stripes starting at the Sky band rather than the standard 18" forward of the tailplane.  No patches over the MG ports, presumably because the aircraft was operated at low altitudes.





Here's a shot of a similar Spitfire with it's precious cargo:



The original aircraft used for this special purpose was a modified Mk Vc jokingly referred to as the Mk 'XXX'.  Beer in 18-gallon barrels was provided by the brewers of Henry and Constable of Sussex and carried to the troops in France with modified under wing bomb racks.

[lowZX14]

That definitely has my vote. 

[RATTFINK]

WOOOOOOOOHOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!

x2

[Krusty]

It's not that the beer was delivered this way, they could do that just as easily by ground. It's that it was chilled to a frosty temperature by flying at high altitudes, perfect for drinknig. Early versions had special drop tanks (cleaned, no doubt!) that held the brew. Later they figured out how to mount the kegs directly to the wings. I've seen pics of the early version, thanks for showing me one of the later ones!

[lyric1]

Mmmmmm Beer.

[Xasthur]

That's almost as good as Galland shooting down a couple of Spitfires on the way to a party with caviar and champagne in the back   

Great story and pics, Jocko.

Oh, the skin is great too.  Well done.

[lyric1]

Whole new meaning to getting bombed with this Spit.

[Kev367th]

Already in the game on a Mk XVI.

[Furball]

It's not that the beer was delivered this way, they could do that just as easily by ground. It's that it was chilled to a frosty temperature by flying at high altitudes, perfect for drinknig. Early versions had special drop tanks (cleaned, no doubt!) that held the brew. Later they figured out how to mount the kegs directly to the wings. I've seen pics of the early version, thanks for showing me one of the later ones!

That was the Corsair pilots in the pacific you are talking about, no?

They really did do beer runs to the troops using Spits after D-Day, IIRC these were mostly the aircraft being ferried from south coast bases to those in mainland Europe.  I can guarantee that it is not easy to ferry beer by ground from Southern England to France

[lyric1]

Already in the game on a Mk XVI.

So was there two differant variants with the same markings? Or is the Spit-16 in the game the wrong plane?  Or is there another option?

[Kev367th]

So was there two differant variants with the same markings? Or is the Spit-16 in the game the wrong plane?  Or is there another option?

No there is a slight problem -
JE-J jr was an LF IXe - Obviously we dont have one. Closest thing to it in shape and performance is the XVI, ignoring the clipped wings.
Were a few emails between me and Skuzzy about the best one to put it on, the IX or the XVI, between us we decided the XVI.

Whichever was chosen it was going to be compromise.
IX - Wrong gun package, wrong motor.
XVI - clipped wings, broad chord rudder.

[Krusty]

That was the Corsair pilots in the pacific you are talking about, no?

Nope, Spitfires and RAF pilots using DTs. I've seen a pic or two in some books I've read. They took chalk and wrote "X X X" on the tank and were filling it from the gas cap with beer.

I haven't heard much about F4U pilots doing the same thing. Definitely possible.

EDIT: As for the skin:



Yup, been done.

[whiteman]

My dads uncle told us about Pacific pilots bringing beer in DT's, don't remember what planes if he said.

[RATTFINK]

quote from Krusty




Yup, been done.

--------------------------------


Yes, but does it have beer barrels? 

[lowZX14]

Add the beer barrells to the wishlist.  It would either increase or decrease time that troops are down at a field.  I'm willing to bet it would decrease but that would defeat the purpose.