Interested in getting info [codes, etc] on three Spitfires

Tony Gaze's XIVs [SM823 bubbletop and earlier with 610 Squadron]

George Keefer's XIVs [MV263] and IX [MK826...early or late?]

Bill Klersy's IXe [PL344] and IXb [MK847...early or late?]

Thanks.

from google searches using almost your exact text:

"SM823/EB-E"

as for 610 squadron, apparently DW-F:




http://www.tonygaze.com/

for MV263: JEJ

illustrated 3 profiles down on this page:
http://www.markstyling.com/latespitfires2.htm

MK826 is GC-K and production records indicate it to be a Mk.IXB (not to be confused with a 'b' winged IXb, of which a few apparently existed). thus a clearer designation is LF.IX, and apparently those were almost always LF.IXc. it was built at Castle Bromwich Aircraft Factory.

note not all LFs had clipped wings, tho many did. no idea here as to which. most profiles of this a/c indicate non-clipped wings and the early large cannon hump on the wing and non-pointy rudder with late style elevators - no idea if any of this is accurate.

Serials in the range MK seem to have all been initially ordered as Mk.V airframes, but clearly some switched over to Mk.IX. while this might indicate an 'early' IX airframe, this can't be guaranteed given the way batch production seems to have been shuffled around between factories.

PL344 is YO-H and is listed as an IXB, again meaning LF.IX, not IXb (never trust an IXb designation at face value because of this confusion) - apparently an LF.IXe in this case, which might mean it is not actually an IXB to a purist (this airframe was restored and it can clearly be seen to have the 'e' wing and normal, not clipped, wingtips)

MK847 research tells pretty much the same story as Keefer's MK826: Castle Bromwich production completed in mid to late 1943 (apparently not making it to squadron service till very early 1944) and is almost certainly a LF.IXc, but other than the squadron code, I can't say what letters she had painted on the fuselage, so it is 'YO-???'. Perhaps this was also YO-H and PL344 was a direct replacement. Speculation on whether early or late production is the same as MK826. The only other thing that can be said is Klersy claimed 4 victories in MK847 between late January and early March 1945, and then his next kill was scored in PL344 a month and a half later (mid April). and to beat that horse again, don't trust the 'IXb' - doubt it had a 'b' wing, since this was an IXB/LF.IX and entered service in 1945.

If you do find any further info on either MK847 or MK826 regarding early or late production, you can be quite sure the other was pretty much identical.

update - found a pic of MK826:



clearly the earlier rudder, and looks like the late type elevators. probably a 'c' wing (i think the cannon did not protrude as far on the 'e' wing, plus the IXB designation leads one to conclude 'c' wing anyway). Earlier 5 spoke wheels (4 spoke came along in 1944)

I would bet MK847 looked nearly identical.

In the spring of 1943 a much improved version of the Mk IX entered service, incorporating all the lessons learned in the previous year, the first of which was to produce two variants to meet conflicting requirements. The high-altitude interceptor, powered by the Merlin 70, had its optimum ceiling at roughly the same altitude as the original Mk IXs the in service. As a result, this variant, known officially as the HF.IX, did not enter production until 1944, and was eventually built in rather limited numbers.

On the other hand the, low-level fighter with its Merlin 66 optimised for altitudes lower than the previous 60 series, entered production by mid-1943, and would eventually become the successful, mass-produced Mk IX. Differing mainly in their engine altitude ratings, the two new Mk IX variants shared most of the refinements, such as the Stromberg carburettor and the improved dust-filter that was originally developed for the Mk VIII.

When the new Mk IX version was first introduced it kept the original Mk IX designation. In order to tell the difference, crews called it a Mk IXB which later resulted in the myth that some Mk IXs had the 'B' wing while in fact, all had the 'C' wing. To avoid confusion, the Air Ministry introduced the designation LF.IX for the MK.IXB, while the original Mk IX became the F.IX. Although LF suggested a low-altitude fighter, this was not quite so, as it was actually developed for optimum performance qt 22,000 ft.

JEJ are 'Johnny' Johnson initials. He is known to have flown two Mk XIVs coded with his initials , MV268, not MV263 which was flown by Keefer marked with his initials, and later MV257.



MV257 is Johnson's last known personal Spitfire. It had previously been flown on operations in April 1945 by Keefer.



F/Lt Cowell of 41 Squadron, in the background MV263 marked with Keefer's initials. No photographs are known to exist showing the front of the aircraft, so what that looked like is entirely speculative.

Wow! Thanks for all the information, gentlemen...great stuff all!

BTW all MJ, MK, PK, PL, PT, PV, RK, RR, SL & SM serial numbers were LF.IX with Merlin 66.