RAF No 601 Squadron

RAF No 601 Squadron Spitfire photographs

MJ250 was flown by No. 601 "County of London" Squadron from July 1944. The unit was operating from the airfields at Perugia, Loreto and Fano at that time. The aircraft was used primarily for dive-bombing operations. MJ250 survived the war but was then scrapped. MJ250 was regularly flown by F/O Desmond Ibbotson, DFC & Bar. This fighter ace is credited with 11 confirmed and four probable kills with five damaged aircraft. He died on November 19, 1944 at the controls of Spitfire MH614. The camouflage colors were stripped down except for the upper engine and fuel tank cowling. These parts seem to be camouflaged, probably taken from another aircraft. Note the unit badge on the fin tip.

Spitfire LFVb RAF 244 Wing IRG AB502 over the Tunisian coast IWM CNA816

Spitfire LF Mark VB, AB502 IR-G, the personal aircraft of Wing Commander I R "Widge" Gleed, No. 244 Wing Leader based at Bu Grara, Tunisia, in flight off Djerba Island. The aircraft is fitted with an Aboukir air filter and has clipped wings in order to assist low-level performance

Imperial War Museum IWM CNA 816 https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205209220

Spitfire LFVb RAF 601Sqn UF-V ER220 Tunisia 1943

Photos: Three Royal Air Force Supermarine Spitfire Vb on a patrol over Djerba Island, off Gabes, on their way to the Mareth Line area in early 1943. The planes "UF-V" and "UF-F" belonged to 601 Squadron. The plane "IR-G" (s/n AB502) in the foreground was the personal plane of Ian Richard Gleed, DFC, Wing Commander of No. 244 Wing. On 16 April 1943 Gleed was killed in a fighter sweep in the Cap Bon area. He was shot down in his Spitfire by German Messerschmitt Bf 109Gs from JG 77.

ER220 Vb CBAF M46 9MU 31-8-42 47MU 14-9-42 Empire Liberty 19-9-42 Takoradi Middle East 7-11-42 92S 601S 'UF-V' Damaged by Bf110 and abandoned off Cap Bon 17-4-43

Spitfire LFVb RAF 601Sqn IRG AB502 UFV ER220 UFF EP481 off the Tunisian coast IWM CNA818

Spitfire LFVb RAF 601Sqn IRG AB502 UFV ER220 UFF EP481 off the Tunisian coast IWM CNA821

Three Spitfire LF Mark VBs of No. 244 Wing RAF based at Bu Grara, flying in close starboard echelon formation off the Tunisian coast after escorting light bombers on a sortie to Mareth. AB502 IR-G, in the foreground, is the personal aircraft of the Wing Leader, Wing Commander I R "Widge" Gleed, which he flew when he was shot down and killed over Cap Bon on 16 April 1943, while the two accompanying aircraft are ER220 UF-V and EP481 UF-F of No. 601 Squadron RAF. All three are fitted with Aboukir air filters and have clipped wings in order to assist low-level performance.

Imperial War Museum IWM CNA 818 https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205209221

Imperial War Museum IWM CNA 821 https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205209222

EP689 Vb CBAF M46 6MU 21-7-42 47MU 26-8-42 Atlantic City 8-9-42 Middle East 30-10-42 Malta 1-7-43 Sicily Hit obstruction during practice attack Catania 22-9-43 [NWAfricanAF 30-11-43]

Spitfire MkIX RAF 601Sqn UF-Question landing at Lentini West Sicily IWM CNA1099

Ground personnel watch as Supermarine Spitfire Mark IX ('UF-?') of No. 601 Squadron RAF, comes in to land land on the newly-completed airfield at Lentini West, Sicily. Four Spitfire squadrons of No. 244 Wing RAF were operating from the airfield by the following day.

Imperial War Museum IWM CNA 1099 https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205209245

Spitfire MkVc RAF 601Sqn dispersal at Canne Italy IWM CNA2260

Ground crew of No. 244 Wing RAF obtain refreshments from a Desert Air Force mobile canteen in a dispersal at Canne, Italy, while, in the foreground, maintenance continues on a Supermarine Spitfire Mark VC of No. 601 Squadron RAF. The canteen was presented to the RAF by the prominent Alexandrian, Baron Charles de Menasce

Imperial War Museum IWM CNA 2260 https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205209335

Spitfire tail section from RAF 601Sqn at Lentini West Sicily 1943 IWM CNA1329

A party of riggers working on the tailplane of a Supermarine Spitfire of No. 601 Squadron RAF at Lentini West, Sicily.

Imperial War Museum IWM CNA 1329 https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205209271

Spitfire database ERD 39MU 22-10-43 82MU 8-11-43 Fort George 4-12-43 Casablanca 22-12-43 601S SOC 5-6-45

Spitfire LFVb RAF 601Sqn UF-F Tunisia 1943

Photos:Three Royal Air Force Supermarine Spitfire Vb on a patrol over Djerba Island, off Gabes, on their way to the Mareth Line area in early 1943. The planes "UF-V" and "UF-F" belonged to 601 Squadron. The plane "IR-G" (s/n AB502) in the foreground was the personal plane of Ian Richard Gleed, DFC, Wing Commander of No. 244 Wing. On 16 April 1943 Gleed was killed in a fighter sweep in the Cap Bon area. He was shot down in his Spitfire by German Messerschmitt Bf 109Gs from JG 77.

Spitfire PRXI RAF 681Sqn white F PL781 SEAC 1944

Spitfire MkVIII RAF 601Sqn UFR at Venafro Italy 12 May 1944 01

RAF 601Sqn into the cockpit of his Supermarine Spitfire Mk VIII at Venafro, Italy, 12 May 1944

Perugia Umbria Italy Map