Supermarine Spitfire. European Users, part seven. Spitfires captured by Germany.

 

Germany's Luftwaffe also employed the Supermarine Spitfire, albeit in small numbers as they had just some captured aircraft. 
One of those captured machines was Spitfire Mk. I N3277 which was piloted by P/O Richard Hardy of No. 234 Squadron. 
On one of the hardest days of the Battle of Britain, 15th August 1940, Hardy had to force-land on Cherbourg, France after being attacked by a Messerschmitt Bf.109 E fighters from III/JG. 53, apparently piloted by Oblt. Georg Claus over the English channel. The Germans reported some damaged gear inside the cockpit. This could be the result of Hardy destroying some secret equipment before being captured or just flak damage caused by a 20 mm anti-air gun. 
Ultimate fate of N3277 is unknown. Some claim it became the famous 'Messerspit', however, that's unlikely as the 'Messerspit' was a Spitfire Mk. V. It is possible, however, that the machine was repainted in Luftwaffe colours for exhibition purposes and it is also possible that is one of the Spitfires that appears in the 'Kampfgeschwader Lützow' propaganda movie. 

As it is obvious, Germany never acquired the Spitfire through purchase but, during World War 2 German forces managed to capture a large number of Spitfires by either occupying Allied airfields or shooting them down over German-controlled territory forcing them to crash land and remain in usable state.

The largest capture of Spitfires by the Germans took place in October 1943 when the Germans retook the Greek islands of Kos, Leros and Samos, in the Aegean Sea. On the island of Kos, the Antimachia airfield was captured, used by No. 74 Squadron RAF and No. 7 SAAF, with approximately a dozen Spitfires. Of those, at least six fighters were in flying condition.

Spitfires are known to have been flown with the following Luftwaffe units:

• Deustche Luft-und Versuchanstalt (DLV) in Oberpfaffenhofen, Bavaria, which was a state research and flight testing facility.
• Erprobungstelle Rechlin: The Luftwaffe testing facility where prototypes and such were tested.
• 2. Staffel Versuchsverband Oberbefehleshaber der Luftwaffe, AKA Zirkus Rosarius, a unit whose purpose was to perform demonstrations of captured Allied aircraft to Luftwaffe personnel.
• Jagdfliegerschule 6 and Jagdleherer Überprüfungstaffel, which were Luftwaffe training units.

However, the most interesting usage of the Spitfire in Germany took place at the Daimler-Benz' experimental plant in Stuttgart, more precisely at the attached Echterdingen airfield. In 1943 a captured Spitfire, registered as EN830, was modified there by fitting a Daimler Benz 605a engine, taken from a Messerschmitt Bf.110G but with a lateral air intake from another Messerschmitt Bf. 109. The armament was removed and German equipment was installed, with the electronical gear being also replaced by a 24V system, which was the standard for the Luftwaffe.

The fighter was repainted in German colours and received the registration of CJ+ZY. Test pilot Flugkapitan Willy Ellenreider conducted some testing flights, which showed very promising results. The modified Spitfire was way superior to the Soviet Yak fighters and even to the Messerschmitt Bf. 109G which was powered by the same engine. 

During 1944 the Messerspit served an engine testbed at Echterdingen until August 1944 when it was destroyed by an American air raid.

Sources:

1st AJ-Press - Monografie Lotnicze 40 - Supermarine Spitfire Part 3 (translated)

2nd https://captured-wings.fandom.com/wiki/N3277

3rd https://aircrewremembered.com/hardy-richard.html

4th https://www.nevingtonwarmuseum.com/germany-messerspit.html

Supermarine Spitfire. European Users, part six. The Spitfire in French hands, part two.

 

More Free French Spitfire units:

• Groupe de Chasse II/7 "Nice"/No.326 Squadron: This squadron switched sides from Vichy France to the Allies during the Tunisian Campaign , where it received the Spitfire Mk. V in March 1943, and took part in the liberation of Corsica, where it was officially formed into a Royal Air Force's squadron, as No.326 Squadron in the village of Calvi on 1st December 1943. The squadron followed the Allied through Southern France & Germany as part of the Free French Forces until the end of the war in Europe and it was transferred to the French Air Force in November 1945. 
  It operated the Spitfire Mk. V until April 1944, when the Mk. V was replaced by the Mk. IX, though some few Mk. V were kept until October 1944. 
• Groupe de Chasse I/3 "Corse/No.327 Squadron: This squadron was reformed at Oran La Senia air base, as it switched sides. In May 1943 they received the Spitfire Mk. V through the liberation of Corsica. On 1st December, together with G.C. II/7 (No.326 Sqn.) and G.C I/7 "Provence" (No.328 Sqn) they formed a wing, which took part in the Allied invasion of Southern France and its subsequent advance into Germany.
  They operated the Spitfire Mk. V together with the Mk. IX  and the Mk. IXe until the end of the war, with the exception of the Mk. V which were discarded in September 1944. 
  In June 1944 they also operated the Mk. VIII which kept them until May 1945, as the unit reverted back to the Mk. IX. On 1st November 1945 it was fully transferred to the Armée de l'Air.
• Groupe de Chasse I/7 "Provence"/No.328 Squadron: This squadron was reformed in Algeria and received the Spitfire Mk. V in September 1943. On 1st December it was taken into RAF's command and was also known as No.328 Squadron, which together with the other Nos. 326 and 327, formed a Free French Fighter wing operating from Corsica. They covered the Allied invasion of Southern France and its subsequent advance into Alsace/Lorraine and Germany supporting French First Army. They were transferred to the Armée de l'Air together with many other units in November 1945.
  They operated the Spitfire Mk. V from September 1943 until September 1944 and both the Mk. IX and Mk. VIII from July and August 1944 respectively, until August 1945.
• Groupe de Chasse II/18 "Saintonge": This squadron, was initially equipped with the  good but obsolete Dewoitine D.520. They were reformed at Toulouse and received the Spitfire Mk. V in March 1945. They were kept as a rear-guard unit. They were however, employed as a ground support unit in the Operation Indépendance, the Allied invasion of the Royan Pocket, from 14th to 19th April 1945.
• Groupe de Reconnaissance II/33 "Savoie": This unit operated the Spitfire Mk. V from March 1944 and saw action, as a fighter-recon unit, during the Allied invasion of Southern Italian peninsula, Liberation of Corsica and the Allied advance into Southern France. They were not sent into Germany and, instead served as a rear-guard unit in Dijon, Lyon and Luxeuil. In January 1945 the Spitfire Mk. Vs were replaced with the American Lockheed F-5 Lightning, the reconnaissance variant of the P-38.

As you could've deducted, dear reader, as the end of the war was approaching, French units began to abandon RAF's structure as many new units were created directly under the command of the Free French Air Force, such as Groupe de Reconnaissance II/33 or Groupe de Chasse II/18. 
After the war, and as part of the Anglo-French agreement of November 1945, every French RAF squadron officially adopted only French names and were transferred to the new re-built Armée de l'Air (French Air Force). During this re-organization, G.C. II/2 "Berry" was merged with G.C. I/2 "Cicognes", G.C. II/18 into G.C. III/2 and G.C. IV/2 Île de France was disbanded.
After the war, France acquire officially 242 Spitfire Mk. IX and 65 Mk V. However, it is known that, thanks to the Anglo-French treaty, more than 400 Spitfires of every mark were in the ranks of the post-war Armée de l'Air. This difference in numbers comes from repaired aircraft left at airfields in both North Africa and mainland France.
In Autumn 1945 48 French Spitfire Mk IXs were sent to Indochina, which, at the time, was under temporal British control. Until the delivery was completed, the British had loaned the local French authorities 12 Spitfire Mk. VIII.
French Indochina kept its French colonial administration under Japanese control until March 1945, when the Japanese set up a coup d'etat in order to maintain a direct control on the region. Only when the colonial French government pledged allegiance to the Government of Gen. de Gaulle, the Japanese proclaimed an independent puppet-state in Indochina under the formal denomination of "Empire of Vietnam". Following the decisions taken at the Potsdam Conference, the capitulation of Japanese forces south of 16th parallel in Indochina was undertaken by British troops and by Chinese troops, north of 16th parallel.

In this political situation the Chinese showed themselves as supporters of the Viet Minh, a left-wing Vietnamese pro-independence organization, and on the day of Japanese capitulation, September 2nd 1945, China recognized the "Democratic Republic of Vietnam" with Ho Chi Minh (ruler of the Viet Minh) as independent from France. This went against the international agreements which granted France full control over Indochina so, in September 1945 the British handed over the administration of their territories to the French. This sparkled resistance from the local population, specially in the north, inspired by both Chiang Kai Shek and Mao Tse Dong. In December 1945 the French took important strategic positions in the Saigon area and began operations (code named "Giaur") to release garrisons in the interior, which were besieged by the insurgent Viet Minh troops.

It was during this period of time that, under the command of Colonel Pierre Fay, a French Air Force in Indochina was established called "Groupement de Marche du Extreme Orient". It operated between November 1945 and January 1951 and was composed by various Escade de Chasse, comprised by two squadrons which rotated.

These were:

• 1ére Escadre de Chasse (November 1945 - August 1946)
• G.C. I/7 "Provence"
• G.C. II/7 "Nice"
• 2éme Escadre de Chasse (August 1946 - September 1947)
• G.C. I/2 "Cicognes"
• G.C. III/2 "Alsace"
• 4eme Escadre de Chasse (September 1947 - November 1948)
• G.C. I/4 "Dauphine"
• G.C. II/4 "La Fayette"
• 3eme Escadre de Chasse (November 1948 - April 1950)
• G.C. I/3 "Navarre"
• G.C. II/3 "Champagne"
• 6eme Escadre de Chasse (April 1950 - January 1951)
• G.C. I/6 "Corse"

In April 1950 3eme Escadre de Chasse was relieved by only one squadron flying Spitfires, which was the result of equipment replacement. Note that those rotations only affected ground staff and the planes remained the same and after almost five year of continuous service in tropical conditions, it was time to replace the Spitfire Mk. IXs with something more modern. The Spitfire in Indochina was exclusively used as a ground support aircraft. 

During the post-war, in French mainland and French North Africa, both Spitfires Mk. V and Mk. IXs were employed to train fighter pilots of both the Armée de l'Air and the Aéronavale (French Naval Aviation).
Apart from the Spitfires, France also acquired 141 Seafire Mk. III between 1946 and 1948 and 15 Seafire Mk. XV in mid 1949. They were employed until 1950 in two naval aviation units which were initially going to be equipped with the SNCAC NC.900 which was the French post-war copy of the German Focke-Wulf Fw.190. 
During the post-war French Seafires were only employed for combat duties once: during the winter of 1948 to 1949, a single squadron of Seafire Mk. IIIs of the 1ere Flotille (1st Flotilla) on board of Arromanches carrier first and Bien Hoa Air Base later, took part in hostilities off the coast of Indochina.
It is worth pointing that both Spitfires and Seafires kept their RAF registration numbers while serving with France.

Sources:

1st https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Supermarine_Spitfire_operators#France

2nd AJ-Press - Monografie Lotnicze 40 - Supermarine Spitfire Part 3 (translated)

3rd http://www.cieldegloire.fr/gc_2_07.php (translated)

4th http://www.cieldegloire.fr/gc_1_07.php#provence (translated)

5th http://www.cieldegloire.fr/gc_1_03.php#corse (translated)

6th https://www.rafweb.org/Squadrons/Sqn310-347.htm

7th https://www.traditions-air.fr/unit/escadron/groupe_reco.htm#GR03302 (translated)

8th https://www.traditions-air.fr/unit/escadron/3C2-4C1.htm#3C219441201

Supermarine Spitfire. European Users, part five. The Spitfire in French hands, part one.

 

The Supermarine Spitfire had also an ample operational history with France. 
The first Spitfire to serve with the Armée de l'Air (French Air Force) was delivered in June 1939. It was a Spitfire Mk.I and was employed for evaluation at the Centre d'essais des materiels aériens (Aerial materials evaluation centre) at Orleans. Due to the beginning of World War 2, it remained there until the French surrender in June 1940, when it was captured by the Germans.

After the Fall of France, two Free French Spitfire squadrons were created within the Royal Air Force (RAF); Nos.340 & 341 plus No.345 which was formed much later. Both Nos.340 & 341 were initially equipped with the Spitfire. 
It should be pointed that the title of "Free French" (Françaises Libres) was applied only to units formed under British tutelage during the period of existence of Vichy France, which had its own armed forces, with their own air force, so those who were enlisted in the Free French units were considered as traitors by the Vichy authorities and were deposed of their rights as prisoners of war. 
However, since Operation Torch and the invasion of French Morocco and Algeria in November 1942, the application of that term to newly formed units -many French units turned completely to the Allied- lost its meaning due to the occupation of Vichy France by Germany in November 1942. So later French units serving with the RAF no longer bore the nickname of "Free French". 

So, the French Spitfire squadrons that saw service with the RAF were the following:

• No.340 Squadron/Groupe de Chasse IV/2 "Île de France": Formed with Spitfires Mk.IIa in Scotland, on 7th November 1941, this unit was initially assigned to defensive patrols over Scotland. After being equipped with the Spitfire Mk.V and early versions of the Mk.IX, it was rebased to southern England in April 1942 to perform fighter sweeps over northern France. These missions lasted until March 1943 when the squadron was moved back to Scotland to rest. 
  During November 1943 it was sent to south-western England to perform fighter sweeps and anti-shipping operations off the coast of Brittany. In April 1944 it was assigned to No.145 Wing which was part of the 2nd Tactical Air Force and saw action during Normandy landings and subsequent campaign. 
  They were rebased to France in August 1944 and shortly later, in September, to Belgium. However this would not last long, as in that same month they were called back to England to fly bomber escort missions from RAF Biggin Hill for two weeks in November 1944.
  In February 1945 the squadron, this time operating from the Netherlands and reassigned back to the 2nd Tactical Air Force, flew fighter sweeps until the end of the war. It was part of the Allied Occupation Forces in Germany but in November 1945 was transferred to the newly re-founded Armée de l'Air. 
  
• No.341 Squadron/Groupe de Chasse III/2 "Alsace": Formed on 15th January 1943 from Free French personnel from Free French Flight, which had been operating in the Western Desert campaign, this unit was formed in Great Britain and by March, equipped with the Spitfire Mk.V and the Mk.IX, they performed fighter sweeps over Northern France, operating from RAF Biggin Hill. 
  In October 1943 the unit was sent to Cornwall, to take part in more fighter sweeps, this time over Brittany. This took until April 1944 when the formation was assigned to No.145 Wing and, therefore, was transferred to the 2nd Tactical Air Force. The squadron provided aerial support for the Normandy landings and just like the No.340 Squadron, it was rebased to Normandy in August 1944 and then to Belgium in September. The squadron remained in continental Europe acting in the ground support /armed reconnaissance fighter role for most of the rest of the war, although in February 1945 it flew back to RAF Turnhouse, in England to be re-equipped with the Spitfire Mk.XVI. It was transferred back to the Armée de l'Air in November 1945.
• No.345 Squadron/Groupe de Chasse II/2 "Berry": This unit, formed in February 1944 from French veterans who served through the Middle-East and the African North-Western campaigns. It was formed in Scotland, but was soon rebased to the south of England to take part in Operation Overlord, the invasion of Normandy, under the command of No.141 Wing, part of the 2nd Tactical Air Force. 
  In November the squadron was moved to Belgium and, together with other French squadron, formed the No.145 Wing, 2nd Tactical Air Force, performing fighter sweeps, attacking communication hubs, troops concentrations and some occasional bomber escorts until the end of the war. In November 1945 it was transferred to the Armée de l'Air.

to be continued.

Sources:

1st https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Supermarine_Spitfire_operators#France

2nd AJ-Press - Monografie Lotnicze 40 - Supermarine Spitfire Part 3 (translated)

3rd https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._340_Squadron_RAF

4th https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._341_Squadron_RAF

5th https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._345_Squadron_RAF

6th http://www.historyofwar.org/air/units/RAF/340_wwII.html

7th http://www.historyofwar.org/air/units/RAF/341_wwII.html

8th http://www.historyofwar.org/air/units/RAF/345_wwII.html

Supermarine Spitfire. European Users, part four. Denmark & Spitfire Danish pilots in World War 2.

 

Although there was not a Danish squadron in the Royal Air Force (RAF), there were some Danish pilots serving with the No.234 Squadron of the RAF as the Dane community in England raised funds to buy three Spitfires, to be piloted by Aksel Svendsen, Jorgen Thalbitzer and others. 
There were Danish pilots serving with the No.234 Squadron until the end of the war and it was the closes thing to a pure Danish squadron serving with the Royal Air Force.

The Spitfire also served with the Royal Danish Air Force after the war. During the year 1947 Denmark bought three Spitfire PR.XI (the reconnaissance version of the Spitfire Mk.IX) plus forty-five Spitfire Mk.IX, among them, four airframes for teaching purposes. 
Initially all of them were assigned to the Royal Danish Naval Aviation (Marinens Flyvevaesen), where a special unit called Spitfire Group  was formed at Kastrup Air Base  in August 1947 for pilot training. In January 1948 that unit was moved to Karup airport where it operated until autumn as the Spitfire School. From June 1948 the Spitfire formed the II Luftflotille (2nd Air Flotilla).

Every Spitfire was transferred to the 4th and 5th Squadrons (Eskadrille) of the Danish Army Aviation (Haerens Flyvertropper) until the Royal Danish Air Force was funded (Flyvevabnet) on 1st October 1950, and were passed to 722 and 725 Squadrons (Eskadrille). The first Eskadrille, 722, operated both Spitfire Mk.IX and the PR.XI from January 1951 until 1955 when it was decided to turn the squadron into a SAR unit equipped with helicopters. The Eskadrille 725 operated the Mk.IX only from May to September 1951. 

Sources:

1st https://www.danishww2pilots.dk/articles.php?article=40

2nd  AJ-Press - Monografie Lotnicze 40 - Supermarine Spitfire Part 3 (translated)

3rd https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Danish_Air_Force

4th https://da.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eskadrille_722 (translated)

5th https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supermarine_Spitfire#Operators

Supermarine Spitfire. European Users, part three. Czechoslovakia, part two.

 

At the end of summer 1945 the Czechoslovak Squadrons of the Royal Air Force (RAF) returned en masse from Great Britain to Czechoslovakia.
At that time this force consisted on three squadrons equipped with the Spitfire Mk.IXe, which in the Czechoslovak designation of military aircraft types, the Spitfire was given the number 'S-89', coming from the Czech word stihaci which means 'fighter'. The Spitfires were no re-numbered and kept their original RAF registrations.
After their arrival in Czechoslovakia the squadrons were reformed following the Soviet organizational doctrines into air divisions (letecká divize), each of them with two air fighter regiments (stihaci letecký pluk) each regiment corresponding to a RAF squadron. The Spitfires were kept in active service until the very late 1940s when the communist coup d'état took place in 1948 and the new government imprisoned all wartime Czech pilots and forced the acquisition of Soviet fighters to replace the Spitfires, namely the Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15 which was also manufactured locally under the designation of S-102.
In the meantime, Spitfires were also employed by the Military Aviation Academy (Letecka Vojenská Akademie) and many were also transferred the Militia Aviation (Bezpecnostní Letectvo - a policial gendarmerie corps). Under this command the Spitfires received civilian registrations, all of them starting with the code 'OK-'. 
Single fighters were transferred for experimental purposes to the research center (Vedecký Letecký Ústav) based at Letnany airport, close to Prague. For this purpose, they received individual tactical markings. 
As stated previously, most units operated the type until late 1947, with the exception of the Military Aviation Academy, which operated the type until 1948. The Spitfires were kept in storage until late 1948 when they were sold to Israel.

In total there were three Letecká Divize (numbered as 1, 2 and 3) and a total of six fighter regiments, 10 and 12 Stíhaci Letecký Pluk, under 1 Letecká Divize, 4 and 5 Stihaci Letecký Pluk under 2 Letecká Divize and 7 and 8 Stihaci Letecký Pluk under 3 Letecká Divize.

Sources:
1st AJ-Press - Monografie Lotnicze 40 - Supermarine Spitfire Part 3 (translated)
2nd https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Supermarine_Spitfire_operators#Czechoslovakia

Supermarine Spitfire. European Users, part two. Czechoslovakia, part one.

 

Many of the Czechoslovak squadrons in exile employed the Supermarine Spitfire in any of its variants. The following Czechoslovak-manned unit were:

• No.310 (Czechoslovak) Squadron: In October 1941 this squadron was re-equipped with the Spitfire Mk.II and operated in Wales from December 1941 until April 1942. In May it was moved to Exeter and, during the months of July to September 1943 the squadron operated the Spitfire Mk.VI, before switching back to the Spitfire Mk.V which had adopted back in November 1941. 
  During January 1944 the squadron got the Spitfire Mk.IX in charge, changing from a pure fighter unit to a fighter-bomber one and took part in the north-western European campaign during 1944. 
  Shortly after the end of the war in Europe, on 31st August 1945, the squadron was rebased to Prague-Ruzyne, where it was transferred to the newly reformed Czechoslovak Air Force on 15th February 1946.
• No.312 (Czechoslovak) Squadron: This unit transitioned from the Hawker Hurricane to the Spitfire Mk.II in October 1941 and to the Mk.V in December 1941. After taking part in various aerial campaigns defending the aerial space of England during 1942, when it provided aerial support for the raid on Dieppe, and 1943, the squadron switched to the Spitfire Mk.IX in January 1944 to take part in the preparations for Operation Overlord. The squadron was part of the 2nd Tactical Air Force and, as such, operated from British Air Bases located in England until the end of the war. 
  On 24th August 1945 they were rebased to Prague-Ruzyne and, on 15th February 1946 they were transferred to the Czechoslovak Air Force.
• No.313 (Czechoslovak) Squadron: This formation was equipped with the Spitfire Mk.I from the its inception in May 1941. They were assigned to the defence of south-western England and, in October 1941 they switched to the better Spitfire Mk.V. 
  They flew the Spitfire Mk.VI for a brief period of time, from June to July 1943, operating from south-eastern England. 
  Just like the other Czechoslovak squadrons, they were re-equipped with the Mk.IX in February 1944, type which operated until July, when they flew the Mk.VII, before switching back to the Mk.IX in October 1944. During this time they operated from British airfields in south-east England.
  On 24th August 1945 they flew to Prague-Ruzyne, where they were transferred to the Czechoslovak Air Force on 15th February 1946.

The Spitfire was also operated at wing level by the No.134 (Czechoslovak) Fighter Wing, which was the parent unit comprising all the above mentioned fighter squadrons.

Sources:

1st https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._310_(Czechoslovak)_Squadron_RAF

2nd https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._312_(Czechoslovak)_Squadron_RAF

3rd https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._313_(Czechoslovak)_Squadron_RAF

4th https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._134_Wing_RAF

Supermarine Spitfire. European Users, part one. Belgium.

Sources:

 

The Supermarine Spitfire was also employed by Nos. 349 and 350 squadrons, composed by Belgians during World War 2.

• No. 349 Squadron: This unit switched their Curtiss Tomahawk for Spitfires Mk.V-s in June 1943 and was rebased to southern England to take part in bomber escort duties and fighter sweeps over mainland Europe. The squadron took part in Operation Overlord and kept the same role, escorting bombers and providing some ground support. In August 1944 the unit was rebased to France performing armed reconnaissance missions. 
  In February 1945 they returned to England to be re-equipped with the Hawker Tempest, however, the pilots did not appreciate the aircraft and opted for the Spitfire Mk.IX instead. They were rebased to the Netherlands and finally to Belgium, where it was transferred to the Belgian Air Force on 24th October 1946. 
  Once in Belgian command (renamed as '349e Escadrille') it was equipped with the Spitfire Mk.XIV. 
  
• No.350 Squadron: This formation acquired the Spitfire Mk.II in November 1941 and shortly later, in February 1942 they transitioned to the Mk.V and were assigned to convoy protection duties over the Irish Sea. In April 1942 they were relocated to south-east England where they carried out many offensive sweeps over occupied France. They took part in Operation Overlord and, in August 1944 they engaged many V-1 flying bombs attacking England. The squadron was rebased to Belgium in December 1944, where it remained until the end of the war. 
  On 15th October 1946 it was transferred to the Belgian Air Force, was renamed to 350e Escadrille, and kept their Spitfire Mk.XIV until July 1949 when they were replaced by the Gloster Meteor. 
  

Aside from those two squadrons, the École de Pilotage Avancée (Advanced Flying School) also employed the Spitfire Mk.IX. Those were supplied from RAF surplus stockpiles in August 1947 when 28 machines were ordered, followed by 18 second-hand more, as attrition was taking a toll on the Mk.IX-s. 
In 1952 a demonstration team was created for a short period of time but an unfortunate accident led to the disbandment of that unit. They were gradually written off and acquired by Cogea Nouvelle of Oostende which used them as target tugs. Most of them survived and were used for filming, some of them appearing in the 1969 movie Battle of Britain.

Sources:
1st https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/349th_Squadron_(Belgium)
2nd https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/350th_Squadron_(Belgium)
3rd https://www.belgian-wings.be/supermarine-spitfire-lf-ixc-e