| Original caption: “Three Supermarine Spitfire Mark Is of Number 611 Squadron RAF fly in loose line astern over two other aircraft of the squadron.” Royal Air Force (RAF) Number 611 Squadron flew the Spitfire Mark I from May 1939 until March 1941. It flew out of RAF Digby from October 1939 to December 1940. IT flew missions over Dunkirk during that time. Its motto was “Beware Beware.” While the Spitfire Mark I was arguably a better fighter than Nazi Germany’s Messerschmitt Bf-109, the 8 .303-caliber (7.7 millimeter) machine guns did not pack a more powerful punch than the 20 millimeter (0.8 inch) explosive cannon of the German aircraft. Yet the Bf-109 was operating at the extreme limit of its range, since it was designed as a short-range, tactical air-suppression fighter, not for long-range strategic operations. The Germans soon lost many aircraft when they ran out of fuel or were caught by Spitfires on their return, with limited ammunition and range. | |
| Image Filename | wwii0284.jpg |
| Image Size | 135.97 KB |
| Image Dimensions | 1600 x 1105 |
| Photographer | Bertrand John Henry Daventry |
| Photographer Title | Royal Air Force Official Photographer |
| Caption Author | Written or Adapted by Jason McDonald |
| Date Photographed | October 1, 1940 |
| Location | |
| City | Digby |
| State or Province | Lincolnshire |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Archive | Imperial War Museum |
| Record Number | C 413 |
| Status | Caption ©2026 MFA Productions LLC Please Do Not Duplicate or Distribute Without Permission; Image in the Public Domain |
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