This folder contains a repaint for the Supermarine Spitfire Mk.IX by Real Air. It shows Spitfire IXc BS273, which was one of the Spitfires modified for high altitude interceptions, based at Northolt, 1942, and regularly flown by F/O Prince Emmanuel Galitzine. The prince was a Russian immigrant, a great grandson of Tsar Paul 1. After the Russian revolution, his family fled Russia, ending up in England. He wanted to fly, and when the Russian attacked Finland, he decided to join the Finnish Air Force. However, on hearing his mother was killed in the London blitz, he returned to the uK (via the US and Canada) and joined the RAF, becoming a Spitfire pilot with the Special Service Flight in Northolt. On 12 september 1942, he intercepted a JU-86 above Southampton at 41.000ft and attacked it. The battle went up to 43.000 ft, and was the highest recorded air battle of WWII. His spitfire only had two cannons, and one of them was frozen solid, giving a very unbalanced flight while shooting, combined with excessive vapor trails of his ammunition. It is believed he managed to hit the german aircraft, but in the end it got away safely. However, since the Germans now knew they could be intercepted, they launched no more high altitude attacks on the UK.
Repaint by Jan Kees Blom, based on the paint kit by RealAir.
Repaint by Jan Kees Blom, based on the paint kit by RealAir.
