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From: ntaib@silver.ucs.indiana.edu (Nur Iskandar Taib)
Newsgroups: sci.military
Subject: Re: RAF Aircraft Designations
Message-ID: <1990Aug28.030352.20732@cbnews.att.com>
Date: 28 Aug 90 03:03:52 GMT
References: <1990Aug18.182938.25309@cbnews.att.com> <1990Aug23.014929.2576@cbnews.att.com>
Sender: military@cbnews.att.com (William B. Thacker)
Organization: Indiana University, Bloomington IN.
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From: ntaib@silver.ucs.indiana.edu (Nur Iskandar Taib)

>  The RAF started using mission designations around 1942, as with the
>Spitfire HF MK.VIII (HF meaning high-altitude fighter). The change to
>an Arabic numeral happened around 1944, when the Mark numbers were
>beginning to be large, e.g., Mosquito FB Mk. XVIII.


>  FR : fighter-reconnaissance



The prettiest Spitfire made was the FR Mk. XIV, used for armed,
low level photo reconnaissance. It had a bubble canopy, and 
oblique cameras mounted just behind the pilot. It differed from 
the regular F. Mk.XIV, which had a regular Malcolm Hood. They 
were painted in the usual grey/green fighter camouflage instead 
of the deep blue of the high altitude, unarmed PR Spitfires. 
Does anyone know of any books dealing with the exploits of this 
particular airplane?