Flying Officer K. B. May, Rockhampton, Qld, and Fl Sgt R. Blacklock, Brisbane, Qld, of 457 "Grey Nurse" Sqn RAAF, First Tactical Air Force in front of a Spitfire Mk VIII bearing the squadron’s shark jaws insignia. Note the sharks painted on the Mae West life jackets and the faded “eye” from an earlier version of the insignia which can be viewed in the Australian Forces section, 4 pages forward of the last page.  Morotai, Halmahera Islands, Netherlands East Indies. Apr-1945

RAAF Spitfire VIII on Morotai

A Spitfire of 79 Sqn RAAF, taxiing along a dispersal road at Momote airfield, Los Negros Island, Admiralty Islands. Apr-1944.  Note the long-range belly tank and the fitter sitting on the wing to guide the pilot to the runway.  (The view over the engine was very poor when on the ground.)  In the foreground is a Dodge ¾ ton truck.  Beyond the Ford(?) tanker is a row of P-40 Kittyhawks.

RAAF Spitfire and Kittyhawks on Los Negros

Momote airfield, Los Negros, Admiralty Islands, New Guinea. August 1944. Flt Lt Benjamin Bernard (Barney) Newman, seated in the cockpit of a 79 Sqn RAAF Spitfire Mk VC, A58-167 (RAF No. ES249), code UP-?, (formerly coded UP-N in 1943 and UP-H in 1944 before an accident)  Newman had previously completed a tour of operations with 41 Sqn RAF (Squadron of St Omer) in the UK, and was killed in action at Wasile Bay, Halmahera Islands, Netherlands East Indies on 2 August 1945 - the last wartime casualty of No. 79 Squadron.  Photographer: William Robinson