25/08/2026
Putting Spitfire PL983 into temporary USAAF markings has been one of those ideas sitting patiently on the “one day” list. Our ‘L’ has such a rich history, wartime and postwar, it was difficult to decide when would be the right time. But as of a few weeks ago we decided to make it happen.
Why USAAF? It tells the wider story of reconnaissance Spitfires and is a subtle nod to PL983’s postwar history. She was gifted to the American Air Attaché at the time for use as his personal transport. It was also around this time ATA pilot Lettice Curtis raced ‘L’ at Lympne International Air Rally – but that’s a story for another time.
Our focus settled on Spitfires of the 14th Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron, part of the 7th Photographic Reconnaissance Group, based at Mount Farm in Oxfordshire. We narrowed this down to Spitfire PA892, better known as ‘My Darling Dorothy’. It appeared the aircraft was flown by several pilots within the squadron, this made it feel like a fitting tribute not just to one machine, but to the wider group of crews who flew and worked on these aircraft.
Rather than presenting a perfectly tidy repaint, we have represented the original RAF insignia being overpainted on base, producing a subtle patchwork effect. It is a small thing, but small things are often where the magic lives.
From the moment we began marking out the stars and bars, it was obvious this scheme was going to have real presence. A Spitfire in American markings already catches the eye but there are plenty of details that make PA892 stand out even more. The yellow spinner gives the nose a bright flash of colour, while the hand-painted sign writing on the engine cowling adds that wonderfully human touch — the sort of detail that reminds you these aircraft were maintained, modified and personalised by real people working in real wartime conditions. Same with the red iron crosses, applied to acknowledge 30 photo sorties. Rather than looking too neat or factory-fresh, we applied with a makeshift stencil.
The result is a Spitfire that feels familiar and different at the same time: an unmistakable British thoroughbred wearing American stars and bars.
