1/48 Spitfire Mk.IX PL258 331 Norwegian Squadron under restoration by the Norwegian Spitfire Foundat

The Mk. IX replaced the Mk. V in June 1942 and on September 12, 1942 a Mk. IX brought down a
Ju-86R flying at 43,000 feet. Another major achievement of the Mk. IX took place on October 5,
1944 when 401 Squadron became the first allied aircraft to shoot down an Me-262 jet. Even with
the arrival of the Griffon powered Mk. XIV the Mk. IX continued in service until the end of WWII.
There were 5,665 Mk. IX Spitfires and its variants produced.

Spitfire LF-IX MJ789 FU-B was assembled at Castle Bromwich and given a Merlin 66 engine. The
aircraft was assigned to the RAF and 403 Squadron RCAF on December 20, 1943 before being
transferred to the RAAF 453 Squadron on January 31, 1944. On June 11, 1944 MJ789 was
piloted by 27 year old RAAF Flight Lieutenant Henry Lacy Smith on a mission over Normandy
when the aircraft was hit by flak and crashed in a canal near Ouistreham, Normandy killing the
pilot who is buried in the Ranville War Cemetery.