Supermarine Spitfire Mk XVIE TB900 GE-D
349 (Belgian) Sqn, Sqn Ldr Lallemand OC, Fassburg, 1946.
The Supermarine Spitfire Mk XVIE was developed in response to so many of the RAF’s encounters with the Luftwaffe taking place at low altitudes. The Spitfire Mk XVIE was virtually a Spitfire Mk IX airframe with a Rolls Royce Packard Merlin engine. The creation of a new Spitfire mark was not just to differentiate between British and American powered aircraft but to clarify the ordering of spares. TB900 has the classic distinguishing features of the Spitfire Mk XVIE, the cut down spine with teardrop canopy, large rudder and two stage supercharged Merlin engine. This Spitfire was fitted with the clipped type E wing and was armed with two 0.5″ machine guns each of 250 rounds and two 20mm cannons each of 120 rounds. TB900 was also a presentation Spitfire , named ‘Winston Churchill’. After a short period with 127 Squadron it was transferred to 349 (Belgian) Squadron in April 1945 where it became the aircraft of the commanding officer Sqn Ldr Lallemand and bore his tally of aircraft kills and tank victories. 349 Squadron joined 132 wing in at Twente in April 1945 and carried out armed recces until the end of the war. The squadron now took up the task of occupation and remained part of the B.A.F.O (British Air Forces of Occupation) until October 1946 when it left the RAF to become part of the re-born Belgian Air Force.
