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303 Squadron Spitfire Trio


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I've been wanting to do this triple build for a while now and I'm glad it's complete (my fourth Spitfire triple since December!), but it may be time to go back to single builds.

All three are 1/72 Spitfire V's representing 'A', 'B' and 'C' wing versions, all belonging to 303 (Polish) Sqn.

The build was part of the Spitfire Group Build dedicated to the memory of Edgar Brooks, and the build thread can be found here.

First up, a Spitfire VA from the 1/72 Airfix Mk I/IIA kit reperesenting K9871, RF-P, flown by Boleslaw Gladych on 8 Dec 1941, where he, alongside Mieczyslaw Adamek, protected a downed Spitfire pilot over the English Channel. K9871 was built as a Mk I, but was modified into a Mk V and assigned to 303 Sqn in late 1941. I built one of Gladych's P-47's in that STGB, and I thought it would be nice to build one of his Spitfires. I've not been able to find any photographs of this aircraft as a 303 Mk V, only as a Mk I, so I had to apply 'typical' squadron markings from that period.

Next to Gladych's P-47.

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Next up is Spitfire VB, BL670, RF-K, from the new 1/72 KP kit.

This Spitfire was assigned to S/L Wojciech Kolaczkowski, who commanded 303 Sqn from Nov 1941 until May 1942, and had his name "Wojtek" painted on the nose, as well as the name "Krysia" formed with the individual squadron letter on the fuselage.

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Last up is Spitfire VC, AB174, RF-Q, from the 1/72 Sword kit.

This aircraft was the mount of PO Antoni Glowacki, a Battle of Britain 'ace in a day'. The individual squadron letter, 'Q' formed the word "QQWCA" on the fuselage side, apparently meaning 'cuckoo' in a transliterated Polish/English pun!

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All three together.

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Great builds Cookie. The background info makes them all the more interesting. ( Now to find a place I can look up Anglo / Polish puns )By my rough arithmetic, that makes twelve Spitfires in the last six months - I think a group shot is called for.

Cheers,

Mike

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Nice set! - I knew profiles or photos of those machines and I always thought that there is written "owca" (let me explain here to some BM members who do not know Polish :) - this mean a sheep in Polish ) - but I did not understood why? - so thank you very much for the whole story with "qqwca" - it make sense and is funny indeed! :)

I like most of all Wojtek/Krysia - guess why?

Jerzy-Wojtek (:) )

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Nice set! - I knew profiles or photos of those machines and I always thought that there is written "owca" (let me explain here to some BM members who do not know Polish :) - this mean a sheep in Polish ) - but I did not understood why? - so thank you very much for the whole story with "qqwca" - it make sense and is funny indeed! :)

I like most of all Wojtek/Krysia - guess why?

Jerzy-Wojtek ( :) )

Some people think it is a girl's name.

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Great builds Cookie. The background info makes them all the more interesting. ( Now to find a place I can look up Anglo / Polish puns )By my rough arithmetic, that makes twelve Spitfires in the last six months - I think a group shot is called for.

Cheers,

Mike

In written Polish the letters Q,V and X are not used. The nearest sound to Q in Polish is KU. QQWCA is in fact a satire on the vagaries of English spelling. Pronounced in English, cue-cue-wah-ka, it sounds like the Polish word kukułka, coo-coo-wah-ka, a cuckoo and is the imagined way it would be spelled in English.

Edited by 303sqn
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Hi Cookie,

this is another superlative trio build! Congratulation on all counts!!!

Am I right that you are doing a "mild" Spitfire fixation? I mean, a dozen Spits in half as many months may just start to slightly worry an average shrink...

As far as I am concerned, it is just great!

Come on Cookie, build another three for the road.

JR

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Thanks for the further "coo-coo-wah-ka" explanation 303Sqn (great user name!).

Yes, Jean, I may have a problem (QQWCA). I don't know what the next trio may be, perhaps Desert scheme V, VIII and IX for the MTO GB? Oh no, I typed that out loud.

Jerzy-Wojtek, sheep would be funny too!

Mike, here is a picture of all 12 for you.

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And here's where my 303 Sqn collection stands.

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The only photographs of a Mk V Spitfire coded RF-P that I know of is AA913.



On 8th December 1941 the Northolt Wing flew Low ramrod 15 to Le Touquet and Berck-sur Mer. On return P/O GÅ‚adych (RF-P, K9871) saw a pilot baling out from a blazing Spitfire (believed to have been Groszewski of 315 Squadron, PK-W, BL323). Circling the position to allow ground stations to to get a fix, he was attacked by a Fw 190. Sgt Ademek (RF-U, W3506 'Hendon Lamb') joined the fray and was credited with destroying the attacker. Groszewski did not survive. GÅ‚adych's usual mount was RF-Q, W3764 'All the Fun of the Fair', and Ademek's RF-W, AB906. BTW 303 Squadron did not apply chessboards to their aircraft until January 1942.



Kołaczkowski first Spitfires (P8038, P8336, P8522) were coded RF-W, presumably W for Wojtek, the diminutive of Wojciech. After being promoted to 'A' Flight commander in July 1941 he used RF-K codes on all of his Spitfires (P8549, X4828, W3765, BL432, BL670, EN179, EN526). K for Kołaczkowski or Krysia or both? Krysia was the name of his girl friend, some say his wife. He married twice and neither wife had the name Krysia.



BL670 arrived at 303 Squadron on 16th February 1942 as a replacement for BL432, destroyed in Ferić's fatal accident 2 days earlier. On 13th March Kołaczkowski was confirmed shooting down a Bf 109. In May 1942 Kołaczkowski relinquished command to take up various staff appointments in the Polish Air Force. BL670 continued to be used by the squadron as RF-K. On 3rd July 3 F/Sgt Mieczysław Popek shot down a Ju 88 over England. During the engagement the Spitfire's propeller was damaged by retrn fire of a German gunner. On the 7th July P/O Władysław Wyganowski made a hard landing and slightly damaged the aircraft. During the fighting at Dieppe (Operation Jubilee), on the 19th August 1942 in the morning, P/O Stanisław Socha shot down a Fw 190 and Ju 88, and on the same day in the early afternoon F/Sgt Popek shot down a Fw 190.



On the 26th September 1942, Kołaczkowski took over command of the 2nd Polish Wing at Kirton-in-Lindsey where he readopted BL670 as his personnal aircraft. He continued to fly BL670 until the turn of January/February 1943 when he left to take command of the 1st Polish Wing at Northolt. BL670 remained with 303 Squadron with the code changed to RF-B. In early June, along with the rest of the Spitfire Vs of 303 Squadron, it was transferred to 315 Squadron, with code PK-B, and from October 1943 PK-X. In November 1943 Squadrons 303 and 315 again exchanged aircraft and BL670 returned to its first unit. In January 1944 it went to the US 9th Air Force, probably to the 67th Reconnaissance Group.

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Thanks Stu!

Great info 303, thanks for taking the time to share all of that! I had left the chessboard off of K9871, then added it last minute in a panic - you can see that it's too bright as it was added after weathering. I should have trusted my original 'mistake'.

I had no idea that BL670 had such a long history after the summer of 1942, it may require another 1/72 representation or two. Again thanks for sharing that 303Sqn.

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I love the sense of 'wear and tear' you've produced on these Cookie. Some really good visual sensitivity and subtleties of weathering - at 1/72 scale this is prime stuff sir.

Bravo!

Tony

Edited by TheBaron
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Yet more superbly stunning Spitfires Cookie! Your builds, painting, weathering and finish are all top notch! I had to remind myself they were 1/72. Very impressive! Great collection too! :worthy::worthy:

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