Spitfire MK1 (Early) Part 4 - RAF Aces 1940

The decal sheet contain markings for follow airplanes:

No. 609 Squadron, Drem, East Lothian, United Kingdom, March 1940

The aircraft is equipped with a three-Bladed propeller, a blown canopy, a stripe on the fuel tank and additional armor on the windshield. On the left side under the canopy is a drawing of a comic book character named Pip. It came from British strip cartoon Pip, Squeak and Wilfred, which was published between 1919 and 1956. Their names were often used in the British Armed Forces, even in official designations. No. 609 (West Riding) Squadron was established as part of the Royal Auxiliary Air Force in 1936 and ist first aircraft type was Hawker Hart. The unit received Spitfires in August 1939 and served in the defense of northern England. Squadron moved south to take part in Operation dynamo and lost one third of the pilots in combat during three days of the operation. It became the first RAF unit to achieve 100 air victories. In the Battle of Britain, ist most successful pilots were FI/Lt. Frank Howell (8 victories) and FI/Lt. John Dundas (9 victories).

No. 602 Squadron, Drem, East Lothian, United Kingdom, April 1940

The aircraft is equipped with a three-bladed propeller, a blown canopy, and the windshield with additional armor. Under the canopy is the inscription BOGUS, the meaning of which is not yet known,. No. 602 (City of Glasgow) Squadron was established as part of the Royal Auxiliary Air Force in 1925 and ist first aircraft were the Airco DH.9. The unit received Spitfires in May 1939 and served in the defense of Scotland until august 1940. Among successful pilots during 1940 were S/Ldr. Alexander Sandy Johnston (7 victories), Sgt. Basil Whall (7 victories), P/O Osgood Hanbury (10 victories) or Sgt. Cyril Babbage (7 victories). On October 16th, 1939, the unit took part in the shooting down of the first German aircraft over the British soil, He 111 over Firth of Forth. F/O Archie McKellar (18 victories) took part in both combats.

K9843, No. 54 Squadron, Hornchurch, Essed, United Kingdom, early 1940

The Aircraft is equipped with a three-bladed propeller, a flat canopy, an older type of pitot tube. In January 1939 it was taken over by No. 41 Squadron at RAF Catterick. On february 4th, 1939, this Spitfire was slightly damaged by Sgt. Reginald Thomas Llewellyn during landing. The same pilot caused a more serious accident with the same aircraft on Novenber 30th, 1939. Llewellyn won 13,5 air victories during 1940, but on August 15th, 1940 he was shot down by a Messerschmitt Bf 110 and suffered serious injuries. After repair, the Spitfire K9843 was assigned to No. 54 Squadron in February 1940. The emblem of this squadron was painted on the tail of the aircraft. At the end of the Dynamo operation, No. 54 Squadron became one of three units with Spitfires, in whose ranks a pilot became an ace. It was the legendary P/O Alan Christopher Deere from New Zealand, who had six victories at the end of May 1940.

If necessary, the decal cover varnish can be removed - wash off with Zippo lighter fluid.

Double A5 sheet 

Double A5 sheet