A detailed study of the operations of the Spitfire Mk.V in the Far East.Introduced in the Far East at the end of 1943, the Spitfire played a major role in the following months. With plenty of photographs and first hand material. Includes three colour profiles.

Designed before the Mk. IX, but following it into service because its radical design changes would have meant production delays when time was of the essence, the Spitfire Mk. Vlll was in fact a non-pressurised version of the Mk. VII designed for low altitude combat (see SQUADRONS! No. 6). At the outset it was the designated successor to the Mk. V, the replacement of which was planned from 1943 onwards but when it became available the Mk. IX had recently entered service with Fighter Command and appeared to have a bright future. Therefore, the RAF decided to retain the Mk. VIII for overseas theatres - the Mediterranean, Far East and the Pacific - where the replacement of the Spitfire Mk. V had become a necessity. One fourth of the production will reach the Southwest Pacific, and this volume focuses on the usage made by the three RAAF squadrons, Nos. 79, 452 and 457. Close to seventy photographs (including three in colour) and eight colour profiles. The story of the British squadrons in the SWPac is told in SQUADRONS! No. 14.

The Spitfire XIV was the logical development of the Spitfire Mk XII (see SQUADRONS! 5). The Mk.XIV differed from the Mk.XII in that the longer, two-stage supercharged Griffon 65 was mounted further forward. A new five-bladed Rotol propeller was used and was the most obvious visual difference compared to earlier marks. The first batch of aircraft to fly with the Griffon 60 series engines were six converted Mk.VIIIs . The first one of these was flown on 20 January 1943, with production ordered following a series of trials. The first aircraft left the production line in October 1943 following the amendment of existing Spitfire contracts. The XIV was initially seen as an interim design pending the Spitfire Mk.XVIII's availability. Delays with the XVIII meant the XIV became one of the major Spitfire fighter variants and a valuable asset for the RAF during the final year of the war. The XIV was built as a fighter, but was also developed for fighter-reconnaissance (FR) to replace the effective, but ageing, Mustang in the Tac/R role. During the war only a limited number of squadrons were equipped with the type and among them, Nos. 41, 91, 130, 610 Sqns. This book covers the operational usage of the Spitfire XIV by these four fighter squadrons, as well the RAF tactical reconnaissance units (Nos. 2 and 268) which became operational before the end of the war in Europe. A short chapter covers also the arrival of the Spitfire XIV in the Far East. This book is illustrated with about 75 photos and ten colour profiles.

The arrival of the Spitfire in Burma came at a crucial time as the RAF struggled against the Japanese to support the Chindit operation on the ground. Proving a huge boost to morale, the Spitfire played a large part in defeating the enemy, and covering the subsequent Allied advance through Burma, protecting the ground troops and providing vital supplies. Covering this little documented aerial war, this book tells the stories of the 54 aces who flew against the Japanese, and also those who fought in India and Australia. Full-colour artwork reveals the markings and paint schemes of this most-famous of British planes, whilst first-hand accounts and archive photographs bring the aerial battles of Burma, India and Australia to life.

Paradoxically, the Mk.V, which ended up being the most numerous variant of the famous fighter built, was not even an intended development of the design. Indeed, it was only considered because of the abandonment of the Spitfire Mk.III. As the Luftwaffe was continually improving its formidable Messerschmitt Bf 109, the latest version of which, the Bf 109F, clearly outclassed the Spitfire Mk.II, the British had no other option but to rapidly find a successor to the latter. At this time, at the end of 1940, the British did not know what the Germans' were planning and expected them to carry on undertaking daylight raids upon the return of nicer weather. The RAF, therefore, wanted to be ready to counter the new German fighter developments. A solution was soon found by mounting a Merlin 45 (former Merlin III), a simplified version of the Merlin XX, on a slightly strengthened Spitfire Mk.I or Mk.II airframe. Several Spitfires were thus modified, with either a Merlin 45 or Merlin 46, during the first weeks of 1941. The resulting feedback was good and the Air Ministry requested that Supermarine modify, as early as possible, Spitfires already on the assembly lines so they could be put into service as rapidly as possible. This is how the Spitfire Mk.V came to be. In 1941, the Spitfire Mk V progressively became the backbone of the Fighter Command and among the squadrons that switched onto the Spitfire Mk V, there are only the three Australian squadrons, Nos. 452, 453 and 457 while in the Middle East, the Australians operated also the Spitfire Mk V with No. 451. Their actions are fully described here in 64 pages, illustrated with 75 photos and seven colour profiles. The usage of the Spitfire V in Australia is not included in this book.

The conduct of a successful air campaign requires a combination of strategy, tactics, capable aircraft, well trained pilots - and good leadership. During WW2, the RAF, Commonwealth (RCAF, RAAF, RNZAF and SAAF) and 'Free European' forces employed almost 250 fighter squadrons throughout the World, from the Aleutians to the South Pacific, throughout Europe, the Middle East and North Africa, India, Burma and the East Indies and East Africa. The RAF's basic tactical formation was the squadron, and this was the first step of independent commanders usually held by a Squadron Leader. The period in command could vary from a matter of days to over a year and so many hundreds of men were appointed as Officers Commanding (OC) of a squadron. As tactics developed and larger formations were used in action, several squadrons would operate in concert and were grouped together as a Wing, led by a Wing Leader. usually of Wing Commander rank. By the mid war years as these Wings became independent mobile formations, the command was given to a Group Captain with leadership in the air held by the Wing Leader, more formally titled as Wing Commander Flying (WingCo). Most were highly decorated, and some were very successful aces but all were highly experienced with a proven record of leadership and ability. The aim of this series is to introduce these men so far as available information allows by giving short biography and describing the operational units that they led during the war. This first volume contains 52 names: J.W.M. Aitken (UK), R.L.R Atcherley (UK), J.P. Bartle (Aus), R.A. Berg (Nor), J. Berry (UK), K. Birksted (Dan), N.H. Bretz (Can), E.T. Brough (NZ), G.A. Brown (UK), A.G. Conway (UK), J. Cunningham (UK), J-F. Demozay (Fr), J.S. Dewar (UK), A.E.R. Esau (Aus), A. Eyre (UK), B.E.F. Finucane (Ire), J.E. Frost (SA), I.R. Gleed (UK), A. Glowacki (Pol), E.J. Gracie (UK), C.L. Green (Rho), D.A. Guillaume (Bel), K. McD. Hampshire (Aus), L.C.L. Hawkins (UK), G.U. Hill (Can), J.D.W. Human (SA), P.A. Hunter (UK), J.E. Johnson (UK), O.C. Kallio (USA), M.W.B. Knight (NZ), K.C. Kuhlmann (SA), B.J.E. Lane (UK), G.J. Le Mesurier (SA), D.A.R. Leroy du Vivier (Bel), E.D. Mackie (NZ), J.G. Munro (UK), J.J. O'Meara (UK), J. Orzechowski (Pol), J.M.G. Plamondon (Can), J.R. Ratten (Aus), B.D. Russel (Can), A.H. Sager (Can), S. Skalski (Pol), O. Smik (Cz), L.E. Smith (UK), R.N.B. Stevens (Aus), W.W. Straight (UK), F. Thorsager (Nor), A.E. Umbers (NZ), B. van der Stock (NL), T. Vybiral (Cz), G.B. Warnes (UK). Includes over 100 photos and 5 colour profiles.