Kiwi Spitfire Ace Jack Rae and his Spitfire Vb - assistance needed!

[overscan (PaulMM)]

A relative of Kiwi Spitfire Pilot 'Jack' (J D) Rae is looking to get a Spitfire tattoo and is looking to me (as the only aircraft nut she knows) for source material to get the most accurate tattoo.

Jack Rae flew with 485 Squadron in Britain, and also flew over Malta, returning to Britain before being shot down and captured.

I have a photo of him in front of what seems to be a Spitfire Vb.

I also found details of a 485 Squadron Spitfire Vb he definitely flew and which I hope is the Spitfire in the picture:

Serial: AB 972
Mark Vb
Merlin 45
Code letter "OU - G"
From 452 Sqn RAAF
Joined Sqn 7 Sep 1941
Named Exonian IV
Renamed for press purposes Auckland II & V
Sgt J D Rae 1 Possible Me 109 F 2 Oct 1941
Sgt J D Rae 1 Possible Me 109 F 6 Nov 1941
Sgt J D Rae 1 Possible Me 109 E 12 Feb 1942
Sgt J D Rae 1 Destroyed FW 190 28 Mar 1942
Sgt J D Rae 1 Destroyed FW 190 28 Mar 1942
Left Sqn 5 May 1942

(source: https://steemit.com/history/@len.ge...wwwurnwnv4wpp8qvxp0pnvuzftggu1c6hhcxl09oifrnc)

Any assistance on getting the correct colours / markings would be appreciated. I'm commissioning Chris Sandham-Bailey to draw a profile for her to take to the tattoo artist.

 

[overscan (PaulMM)]

Found other 485 Squadron Spitfire photos.

 

[galgot]

Couldn’t find pict of AB 972 as "OU-G" unfortunately.
Here some other 485 Sqn MkVs picts :

ADF-Serials Image Gallery :: Supermarine Spitfire

www.adf-gallery.com.au

Also here is a review of a decal sheet about 485 Sqn Spitfires :

DK Decals 1/72 scale No 485 (NZ) Sqn Presentation Spitfires by Mark Davies

No "OU-G" still, but gives an idea how it might have looked like…

And AB 972 was apparently the mount of F/L Brendan Eamon Fergus Finucane while at Sqn 452, "UD-W" at that time.
Here a downloadable pdf showing AB 972 as "UD-W"

http://www.fundekals.com/images/Finucane/FinucaneSpitfireVb.pdf

Unless it was totally repainted when it went to Sqn 485, it must not have looked very different (changed codes, name added ?) .

 

[overscan (PaulMM)]

Thanks - Here's AB972 with 452 squadron prior to it being used by 485 Squadron. It has the longer spinner.

 

[Justo Miranda]

Two cents

 

[overscan (PaulMM)]

Thanks - the tattoo has been done already, so too late