Supermarine Spitfire photographs

Aircrew RAAF 453Sqn Australian pilots review their mission brief 01

Airworthy Spitfire warbird LFXVI RAAF 453Sqn FUP TB863 01

Airworthy Spitfire warbird LFXVI RAAF 453Sqn FUP TB863 02

Airworthy Spitfire warbird LFXVI RAAF 453Sqn FUP TB863 03

Airworthy Spitfire warbird LFXVI RAAF 453Sqn FUP TB863 04

Airworthy Spitfire warbird LFXVI RAAF 453Sqn FUP TB863 05

Airworthy Spitfire warbird LFXVI RAAF 453Sqn FUP TB863 06

Airworthy Spitfire warbird LFXVI RAAF 453Sqn FUP TB863 07

Airworthy Spitfire warbird LFXVI RAAF 453Sqn FUP TB863 08

Airworthy Spitfire warbird LFXVI RAAF 453Sqn FUP TB863 09

Airworthy Spitfire warbird LFXVI RAAF 453Sqn FUP TB863 10

Airworthy Spitfire warbird LFXVI RAAF 453Sqn FUP TB863 11

Airworthy Spitfire warbird LFXVI RAAF 453Sqn FUP TB863 12

Spitfire MkIXb RAAF 453Sqn FUZ after landing at Ford Sussex 1944 IWM MH6847

Spitfire MkIXb RAAF 453Sqn FUZ after landing at Ford Sussex 1944 IWM MH6847a

Spitfire MkIXc 2TAF RAAF 453Sqn FUZ Ford Jun Jul 1944 0A

Spitfire MkIXc RAAF 453Sqn FUN J Boulton MH454 England 1944 01

Spitfire MkIXc RAAF 453Sqn FUN Lyall MH454 England 1944 01

Spitfire MkIX RAAF 453Sqn FUV at Ford Sussex IWM HU92143

Spitfire MkIX RAAF 453Sqn FUV at Ford Sussex IWM HU92144

Spitfire MkVb RAAF 453Sqn FUZ EP6 01

Spitfire MkVb RAF 453Sqn FUU John Yarra EN824 Southend Dec 1942 01

Spitfire MkVb RAF 453Sqn FUU John Yarra EN824 Southend Dec 1942 0A

Spitfire MkVb RAF 453Sqn John Yarra Ned IV 01

Spitfire MkVBs RAAF 453Sqn at Drem 14th Aug 1942 01

Spitfire MkIXb RAAF 453Sqn FUZ after landing at Ford Sussex IWM MH6847

Supermarine Spitfire Mark IXBs of No 453 Squadron RAAF on the ground at Ford, Sussex.

Imperial War Museum IWM MH 6847 https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205190819

Spitfire MkIX RAAF 453Sqn FUV at Ford Sussex IWM HU92144

Supermarine Spitfire Mark IX, 'FU-V', of No. 453 Squadron RAAF preparing to taxy at Ford, Sussex, for a sortie over Normandy. The aircraft carries a 44-gallon long-range fuel tank under the fuselage to enable it to extend its operational radius on the continent.

Imperial War Museum IWM HU 92144 https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205211298

Spitfire MkIX RAAF 453Sqn FUV at Ford Sussex IWM HU92143

Supermarine Spitfire Mark IXs of No. 453 Squadron RAAF, are started up at Ford, Sussex for a sortie over Normandy. Both aircraft are carrying 44-gallon long-range fuel tanks under the fuselage to extend the their range over the continent. Behind them can be seen a De Havilland Mosquito NF Mark XVII of No. 456 Squadron RAAF, also based at Ford in order to provide night defence over southern England.

Imperial War Museum IWM HU 92143 https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205211297

Spitfire MkVb RAAF 453Sqn FUU John Yarra EN824 RAF Ipswich Suffolk Dec 1942 0A

Info Eduard: Nicknamed “Slim,” Yarra was one of the most successful pilots defending Malta during the intense fighting of the summer of 1942, scoring 12 confirmed kills. In September 1942 he was promoted to Flight Lieutenant and posted to the Australian No. 453 Squadron, part of the Hornchurch Wing, where he flew offensive sweeps over France. His final sortie came on 10 December 1942 during an attack on shipping off the Dutch coast. His Spitfire EN824 was hit by anti-aircraft fire and crashed into the sea. Yarra attempted to bail out, but struck the aircraft’s tail, which damaged his parachute. It failed to deploy properly, and he fell to his death from 300 metres. His brother, Robert Ernest Yarra, also a fighter pilot, was killed on 14 April 1944 when his aircraft was hit by anti-aircraft fire while attacking V-1 launching sites at Ligescourt during Ramrod 735.