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Description
The Supermarine Spitfire was a supreme dog-fighter during WWII and a testament to the skills of R.J. Mitchell, the original designer and Joe Smith who took over after Mitchell"s death.
The pilots who flew this made the plane a legend, but many of them knew nothing of the realities of modern air combat.
Many paid the price of this ignorance, either with life, limb or burned skin so bad that it gave birth to modern Plastic Surgery.

Some pilots survived and thrived though and the RAF was smart enough to get many of these pilots to instruct at Operational Training Units.
Many of them hated this, but they all taught Tyro pilots fresh from flight school the nuances, demands and necessities of modern, high speed aerial combat.
Many lead instructors painted their Spitfire noses in vivid colours and acted as Aggressors, much as is still used in air modern combat schools.
Ginger Lacy painted his spitfire with Red white and blue stripes, but James Storrar flew this when he was an instructor at 57 OTU.
He was pleased with it and noted that he used it to terrify new pilots and it also had the benefit that his girlfriends could spot him from the ground easily.

There has been some debate as to the colours of the nose, but I am happz with this based on the extant photo and notes from Alfred Price and James Storrar himself.
As per usual, I am glad if anyone would care to comment, criticise or just say hello.

Description
The Supermarine Spitfire was a supreme dog-fighter during WWII and a testament to the skills of R.J. Mitchell, the original designer and Joe Smith who took over after Mitchell"s death.
The pilots who flew this made the plane a legend, but many of them knew nothing of the realities of modern air combat.
Many paid the price of this ignorance, either with life, limb or burned skin so bad that it gave birth to modern Plastic Surgery.

Some pilots survived and thrived though and the RAF was smart enough to get many of these pilots to instruct at Operational Training Units.
Many of them hated this, but they all taught Tyro pilots fresh from flight school the nuances, demands and necessities of modern, high speed aerial combat.
Many lead instructors painted their Spitfire noses in vivid colours and acted as Aggressors, much as is still used in air modern combat schools.
Ginger Lacy painted his spitfire with Red white and blue stripes, but James Storrar flew this when he was an instructor at 57 OTU.
He was pleased with it and noted that he used it to terrify new pilots and it also had the benefit that his girlfriends could spot him from the ground easily.

There has been some debate as to the colours of the nose, but I am happz with this based on the extant photo and notes from Alfred Price and James Storrar himself.
As per usual, I am glad if anyone would care to comment, criticise or just say hello.