Spitfire Mk.IX, EN300, "AX-9", No. 1 Squadron, Luqa aerodrome, Malta, June 1943.
Whilst based at Luqa aerodrome in Malta, No.1 squadron's Spitfire Mk.IX's were taken on strength. Six pilots had flown to Ben Gardane North L.G. on the 18th, with six of the squadron's most battered Mk.V's. These "ropey" aircraft were especially chosen as the aircraft to be replaced by the Mk.IX's. At Ben Gardane North, the pilots exchanged their Mk.V's for six Mk.IX's, which had previously been operated by the Polish Fighting Team (PFT).
The PFT was formed on the 5th February 1943, and comprised fifteen experienced Polish pilots, who were specifically selected out of the 68 Poles who volunteered for this duty. Once they arrived in North Africa, the PFT were attached to No.145 squadron (RAF), and became "C" flight of this squadron. This was purely for administrative reasons as they were however, fully independent and received their operational orders directly from No.244 Wing of the Desert Air Force. The Wing, under the command of W/Cdr. Ian Gleed, was comprised of five squadrons; No.'s 92, 145, and 601 (RAF), No.1 (SAAF) and No.417 (RCAF), which were all flying Spitfire Mk.V's. The Polish aircraft used the same "ZX" codes as those of No.145 (RAF), but instead of individual letters, they were given numbers from "1" to "0". Under the command of Maj. Stanislaw Skalski, the PFT achieved great success in the North African desert. From going into action on the 13th March, until the end of the African campaign on the 13th May, the unit's scoreboard displayed 25 enemy aircraft shot down, 3 probable and 9 damaged. This was achieved in 539 sorties, and against the loss of only one pilot (who became a POW) and two aircraft, it was indeed an extremely successful 62 days of operations !! During April 1943, they were the highest scoring fighter unit in North Africa, and had notoriously became known as "Skalski's Circus". The following Mk.IX's were on stregth; ZX-1 (EN 459), ZX-2 (EN 247), ZX-3 (EN 361), ZX-4 (EN 313), ZX-5 (EN 267), ZX-6 (EN 315), ZX-7 (EN 268), ZX-8 (EN 286), ZX-9 (EN 300), ZX-10(EN 261), ZX-0 (EN 355), ZX-1 (EN 462), ZX-4 (EN 257) They became non-operational on the 12th May, two days after the surrender of the Afrika Corps and the end of the campaign in North Africa.
After the ferry flight from Ben Gardane North L.G., the No.1 squadron pilots arrived back at Luqa aerodrome on the 19th June with the squadron's first Spitfire Mk.IX's. Lt. M.E.S. Robinson notes in his log-book, that his "first trip in Spit 9"was "ZX-8" and that he also flew MK.IX, "ZX-8", back to Malta. The aircraft still carried the "ZX-8" codes from its previous use in the Polish Fighting Team. Once at the squadron, the "Z" codes were replaced with an "A", but the aircraft retained the code numbers. The retention of the numbers, had the added benefit, in that members of the squadron were easily able to distinguish between the Mk.V's and Mk.IX's.
Spitfire Mk.IX, EN300, "AX-9", was shot down by a USAAF P-38 "Lightning" 5 miles west of Catania on the 14th July 1943. Operation "Husky", the invasion of Sicily had started on night of the 9th/10th July and the pilot, Lt. M.E.S. "Robbie" Robinson, who was on his 100th operation, was flying a patrol over the ACID beaches. He bailed out over the sea and was was picked up by the Greek destroyer HHMS Adrias.
Whilst based at Luqa aerodrome in Malta, No.1 squadron's Spitfire Mk.IX's were taken on strength. Six pilots had flown to Ben Gardane North L.G. on the 18th, with six of the squadron's most battered Mk.V's. These "ropey" aircraft were especially chosen as the aircraft to be replaced by the Mk.IX's. At Ben Gardane North, the pilots exchanged their Mk.V's for six Mk.IX's, which had previously been operated by the Polish Fighting Team (PFT).
The PFT was formed on the 5th February 1943, and comprised fifteen experienced Polish pilots, who were specifically selected out of the 68 Poles who volunteered for this duty. Once they arrived in North Africa, the PFT were attached to No.145 squadron (RAF), and became "C" flight of this squadron. This was purely for administrative reasons as they were however, fully independent and received their operational orders directly from No.244 Wing of the Desert Air Force. The Wing, under the command of W/Cdr. Ian Gleed, was comprised of five squadrons; No.'s 92, 145, and 601 (RAF), No.1 (SAAF) and No.417 (RCAF), which were all flying Spitfire Mk.V's. The Polish aircraft used the same "ZX" codes as those of No.145 (RAF), but instead of individual letters, they were given numbers from "1" to "0". Under the command of Maj. Stanislaw Skalski, the PFT achieved great success in the North African desert. From going into action on the 13th March, until the end of the African campaign on the 13th May, the unit's scoreboard displayed 25 enemy aircraft shot down, 3 probable and 9 damaged. This was achieved in 539 sorties, and against the loss of only one pilot (who became a POW) and two aircraft, it was indeed an extremely successful 62 days of operations !! During April 1943, they were the highest scoring fighter unit in North Africa, and had notoriously became known as "Skalski's Circus". The following Mk.IX's were on stregth; ZX-1 (EN 459), ZX-2 (EN 247), ZX-3 (EN 361), ZX-4 (EN 313), ZX-5 (EN 267), ZX-6 (EN 315), ZX-7 (EN 268), ZX-8 (EN 286), ZX-9 (EN 300), ZX-10(EN 261), ZX-0 (EN 355), ZX-1 (EN 462), ZX-4 (EN 257) They became non-operational on the 12th May, two days after the surrender of the Afrika Corps and the end of the campaign in North Africa.
After the ferry flight from Ben Gardane North L.G., the No.1 squadron pilots arrived back at Luqa aerodrome on the 19th June with the squadron's first Spitfire Mk.IX's. Lt. M.E.S. Robinson notes in his log-book, that his "first trip in Spit 9"was "ZX-8" and that he also flew MK.IX, "ZX-8", back to Malta. The aircraft still carried the "ZX-8" codes from its previous use in the Polish Fighting Team. Once at the squadron, the "Z" codes were replaced with an "A", but the aircraft retained the code numbers. The retention of the numbers, had the added benefit, in that members of the squadron were easily able to distinguish between the Mk.V's and Mk.IX's.
Spitfire Mk.IX, EN300, "AX-9", was shot down by a USAAF P-38 "Lightning" 5 miles west of Catania on the 14th July 1943. Operation "Husky", the invasion of Sicily had started on night of the 9th/10th July and the pilot, Lt. M.E.S. "Robbie" Robinson, who was on his 100th operation, was flying a patrol over the ACID beaches. He bailed out over the sea and was was picked up by the Greek destroyer HHMS Adrias.
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Brent Best
