Supermarine Spitfire Mk IXc MK356
Spitfire Mk IXc MK356 was built at Castle Bromwich and delivered to Digby in March 1944 fitted with a Merlin 66 engine, optimised for operations at low level and below 25.000 feet. She was allocated to 443 ‘Hornet’ Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force, which became part of 144 Canadian Wing, commanded by Wing Commander J. E. ‘Johnny’ Johnson and was based at various locations on the South Coast of England.
The aircraft flew its first operational mission from Westhampnett on 14 April 1944 as part of a ‘Rodeo’ fighter sweep over occupied France. In the weeks leading up to the Invasion of France, MK356 was involved in various fighter and fighter-bomber missions. On D-Day +1 (7 June 1944) during an invasion beach head cover patrol, her pilot, Flying Officer Gordon Ockenden, a Canadian from Alberta, attacked 4 Bf109s “on the deck”. He chased one of the Messerschmitts, opened fire and obtained strikes. His wingman, Flt Lt Hugh Russell finished it off, so they were both credited with a shared kill.
MK356 was damaged 3 times herself, including 2 belly landings and on 14 June lost a wheel on take-off; the pilot completing the mission prior to making a third belly landing. Normally the aircraft would have been repaired on site but the Squadron moved to a forward operating base in France the next day, leaving MK356 behind to be picked up and stored by a Maintenance Unit.
After the war MK356 was used as an instructional airframe, as a gate guardian at Hawkinge and Locking, and she also served as a static airframe in the film ‘The Battle of Britain’ before going on display in the museum at St Athan.
In January 1992 a complete refurbishment to flying condition was commenced and in November 1997 the aircraft flew for the first time in 53 years, subsequently moved to her present home with the BBMF.
The aircraft has been repainted in order to commemorate “the hard-fought war in the deserts of North Africa.” The new markings recreate the desert camouflage of Mk IX EN152/QJ-3 of 92 Squadron, a machine that operated in Tunisia during April and May 1943 and was once flown by Flt Lt Neville Duke, who became the highest-scoring Allied ace of the Mediterranean theatre with 27 confirmed victories.
Supermarine Spitfire Mk IXc MK356
Spitfire Mk IXc MK356 was built at Castle Bromwich and delivered to Digby in March 1944 fitted with a Merlin 66 engine, optimised for operations at low level and below 25.000 feet. She was allocated to 443 ‘Hornet’ Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force, which became part of 144 Canadian Wing, commanded by Wing Commander J. E. ‘Johnny’ Johnson and was based at various locations on the South Coast of England.
The aircraft flew its first operational mission from Westhampnett on 14 April 1944 as part of a ‘Rodeo’ fighter sweep over occupied France. In the weeks leading up to the Invasion of France, MK356 was involved in various fighter and fighter-bomber missions. On D-Day +1 (7 June 1944) during an invasion beach head cover patrol, her pilot, Flying Officer Gordon Ockenden, a Canadian from Alberta, attacked 4 Bf109s “on the deck”. He chased one of the Messerschmitts, opened fire and obtained strikes. His wingman, Flt Lt Hugh Russell finished it off, so they were both credited with a shared kill.
MK356 was damaged 3 times herself, including 2 belly landings and on 14 June lost a wheel on take-off; the pilot completing the mission prior to making a third belly landing. Normally the aircraft would have been repaired on site but the Squadron moved to a forward operating base in France the next day, leaving MK356 behind to be picked up and stored by a Maintenance Unit.
After the war MK356 was used as an instructional airframe, as a gate guardian at Hawkinge and Locking, and she also served as a static airframe in the film ‘The Battle of Britain’ before going on display in the museum at St Athan.
In January 1992 a complete refurbishment to flying condition was commenced and in November 1997 the aircraft flew for the first time in 53 years, subsequently moved to her present home with the BBMF.
The aircraft has been repainted in order to commemorate “the hard-fought war in the deserts of North Africa.” The new markings recreate the desert camouflage of Mk IX EN152/QJ-3 of 92 Squadron, a machine that operated in Tunisia during April and May 1943 and was once flown by Flt Lt Neville Duke, who became the highest-scoring Allied ace of the Mediterranean theatre with 27 confirmed victories.