Spitfires that were manufactured for use in the Mediterranean and North African theatres of operation, had modifications made to the aircraft's induction system, to prevent engine damage from sand ingestion, and other environmental problems. There were two different air filter systems that were used on these aircraft. The Aboukir Tropical Filter system had a short intake mounted below and at the rear of the engine, while the Vokes system, used for filtering out the fine desert sand, had a larger "chin" type housing. I think that this modification was introduced on the Mk V Spitfire Both the tropical and desert Spitfires were also used in Mid East and Far East operations. The Spitfires that David Dixon refer to are fitted with the Vokes type filters. An additional radiator was introduced with the Mk IX Spitfire, but this was mounted below the port wing, and was required due the introduction of a two speed suprecharger on this model. Daryl Ward.

Daryl Thank you for a well written explanation. Why were they called Capstans? Anthony Staunton -----Original Message----- From: Daryl Ward [mailto:deward@iprimus.com.au] Sent: Sunday, 4 June 2006 7:49 PM To: AUS-MILITARY-L@rootsweb.com Subject: Re: [AUS-MIL] RAAF Squadron codes Spitfires that were manufactured for use in the Mediterranean and North African theatres of operation, had modifications made to the aircraft's induction system, to prevent engine damage from sand ingestion, and other environmental problems. There were two different air filter systems that were used on these aircraft. The Aboukir Tropical Filter system had a short intake mounted below and at the rear of the engine, while the Vokes system, used for filtering out the fine desert sand, had a larger "chin" type housing. I think that this modification was introduced on the Mk V Spitfire Both the tropical and desert Spitfires were also used in Mid East and Far East operations. The Spitfires that David Dixon refer to are fitted with the Vokes type filters. An additional radiator was introduced with the Mk IX Spitfire, but this was mounted below the port wing, and was required due the introduction of a two speed suprecharger on this model. Daryl Ward. ==== AUS-MILITARY Mailing List ==== Milton Ulladulla Boer War & WW1 http://www.shoalhaven.net.au/~cathyd/war/

Capstans was a code name they used to avoid the Japs knowing that Spits were coming to SWPA. Regards Peter Dunn "Australia @ War" http://www.ozatwar.com Over 650 Mbytes of Military home pages about Australia during WW2 Now also available on CD-Rom DISCUSSION LISTS Military Aircraft Crashes in Australia during WW2 OzCrashes-subscribe@topica.com 460 Squadron RAAF 460sqdn-subscribe@topica.com > -----Original Message----- > From: Anthony Staunton [mailto:anthony.staunton@pcug.org.au] > Sent: Sunday, 4 June 2006 9:04 PM > To: AUS-MILITARY-L@rootsweb.com > Subject: RE: [AUS-MIL] RAAF Squadron codes > > Daryl > > Thank you for a well written explanation. > Why were they called Capstans? > > Anthony Staunton > > > -----Original Message----- > From: Daryl Ward [mailto:deward@iprimus.com.au] > Sent: Sunday, 4 June 2006 7:49 PM > To: AUS-MILITARY-L@rootsweb.com > Subject: Re: [AUS-MIL] RAAF Squadron codes > > Spitfires that were manufactured for use in the Mediterranean > and North African theatres of operation, had modifications > made to the aircraft's induction system, to prevent engine > damage from sand ingestion, and other environmental problems. > There were two different air filter systems that were used on > these aircraft. The Aboukir Tropical Filter system had a > short intake mounted below and at the rear of the engine, > while the Vokes system, used for filtering out the fine > desert sand, had a larger "chin" type housing. I think that > this modification was introduced on the Mk V Spitfire Both > the tropical and desert Spitfires were also used in Mid East > and Far East operations. > > The Spitfires that David Dixon refer to are fitted with the > Vokes type filters. > > An additional radiator was introduced with the Mk IX > Spitfire, but this was mounted below the port wing, and was > required due the introduction of a two speed suprecharger on > this model. > > Daryl Ward. > > > > > ==== AUS-MILITARY Mailing List ==== > Milton Ulladulla Boer War & WW1 > http://www.shoalhaven.net.au/~cathyd/war/ > > > > > > ==== AUS-MILITARY Mailing List ==== > AUS-MILITARY is set so that, by default, replies go to the > list. Please check your replies before sending, to make sure > that is what you know is happening. >

Thanks for such a complete & concise answer, Daryl. Regards, Dave Daryl Ward wrote: > Spitfires that were manufactured for use in the Mediterranean and > North African theatres of operation, had modifications made to the > aircraft's induction system, to prevent engine damage from sand > ingestion, and other environmental problems. ..................

Australian and British Army officers in WWI did not have Regimental numbers, apparently because they were "officers and gentlemen", (from a discussion on the Great War list). But while New Zealand Army officers did not have Regimental numbers in the South African (Boer) War, they had them by WWI. Thus Lt-Col William Malone, killed on Gallipoli, was No 10/1039, the 10 being the prefix for the Wellington Infantry Battalion. No 10/1 was Lance-Corp Walter Cousins, also of the WIB. Prefix 15/ was for Headquarters staff, and No 15/1 was Maj-Gen Sir Alexander Godley, the Commandant of the New Zealand Defence Force (recommended by Kitchener in 1910), and of the NZEF (NZ Expeditionary Force) in WWI. For list of Prefixes, see Gallipoli by Pugsley page 361. The prefixes were not used after the 10th Reinforcements, because soldiers often returned to a different unit after hospital, training etc. So a 5-digit Regimental Number without prefix was allocated. Yours, John Wilson (New Zealand)