British Forces

“Cab-rank”

RAF BBMF

Italian Campaign, November 1944: a couple of Spitfire Mk IX, configured as fighter-bombers, of the RAF No 601 (County of London) Squadron taking off from a Marche’s airfield, likely Fano, for a “cab-rank” mission. The “cab-rank” operations was a new form of close air support introduced by the Allies in Italy during the winter 1943-1944: formations of patrolling fighter-bombers were maintained over the front lines to be called down upon targets by RAF liaison officers embedded with the forward elements of the Army. This command and control system was referred to as “Rover David” or “Rover Paddy”, after the radio call sign of the ground controllers. The forward air control team, which usually consisted of a combat-experienced pilot and an Army officer, positioned itself overlooking the front line. Infantrymen encountering resistance that required air support radioed the Rover unit, which passed the request to the fighter control centre. If a request was approved, the Rover unit contacted designated aircraft on station and the forward air controller identified and pin-pointed the target to the circling Spitfires, which then dropped their 500lb bombs on the targets, sometimes just a few hundred yards ahead of the advancing Allied ground troops. After the bomb dive, the Spitfires would pull-up, turn around and roar back down onto the target to make low-level strafing runs at any vehicles or anti-aircraft gun emplacements that were left intact. One of the Spit if this photo, the aircraft Squadron code UF-Q, military code MJ250, depict an unusual natural, polished metal, all-silver finish rather than the normal European theatre grey/green camouflage worn by the other aircraft of the No 601 Squadron at this stage of the war. Exactly why MJ250 was finished in this unusual natural metal scheme is not clear and according the RAF Battle of Britain Memorial Flight (RAF BBMF) this picture is the only wartime photograph existing of this aircraft. Victor Sierra