Supermarine Spitfire. European Users, part one. Belgium.

 

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