Supermarine Spitfire. European Users, part eight. Greek Spitfires.

 

During World War 2, two Hellenic squadrons serving under Royal Air Force's (RAF) command were formed. These were Nos. 335 and 336 Squadrons plus one famous ace, Ioannis Agorastos 'John' Plagis (or Plagis) who was born in southern Rhodesia to Greek parents, achieved ace status flying the Spitfire with No. 185 and No. 126 (Persian Gulf) Squadrons. Flying the Spitfire he took part in the aerial Battle of Malta, Operation Overlord and the subsequent campaigns up to Operation Market Garden when he was shot down but with lights wounds only. After that, he and his squadron transitioned to the North American Mustang Mk. III (the RAF equivalent to the P-51B/C).

The Greek squadrons, were, as stated above, Nos. 335 and 366:

• No. 335 (Greek) Squadron RAF: This veteran unit of the North African Campaign, began to transition from the Hawker Hurricane Mk. IIc to the Supermarine Spitfire Mk. V in December 1943. Operating from Libya, they were assigned to shipping protection off the Libyan coast as the Allies advanced through Italy. In September 1944 they were rebased to Italy, after the squadron was fully converted and trained to the usage of the Spitfire.
  Operating from Savoia, Nuova and Biferno airfields, the squadron flew offensive sweeps over Albania and Yugoslavia. 
  In November 1944 the squadron was rebased to Hassani Air Base, in Greek soil, as the Germans retreated. From there they flew fighter sweeps over Crete and the remaining German positions in the Aegean Sea. 
• No. 336 (Greek) Squadron: This unit received its first Spitfire Mk. Vc in October 1943. They had transitioned from the Hawker Hurricane Mk. IIc and, in November 1943 they took part in various aerial raids against Crete, which turned to be very dangerous due to the German anti-air defences and the presence of the Luftwaffe. By March 1944 they were fully converted to the Spitfire and in early September they were moved to Italy, where, operating from Nuova and Grottaglie, carried out raids over Yugoslavia. 
  In November 1944, together with No. 335 Squadron, they were rebased to Hassani Air Base, where they carried out operations against Crete and the German garrisons in the Aegean Sea until the end of the war.

After World War 2, on 25th April 1946 both Greek squadrons were officially transferred to the Royal Hellenic Air Force and renamed to Mira 335 and Mira 336 ('Mira' means 'Squadron' in Greek). 

They were based at the Air Bases of Sedes (Thessaloniki - Mira 335) and Araxos (Peloponnese - Mira 336). During 1947 and 1948 the Greek Government bought a total of 109 Spitfire Mk. IX from RAF's stocks. During the Greek Civil War they were widely employed against communist guerrillas. 

Mira 335 operated the Spitfire Mk. V from April to December 1946 and then both the Spitfire Mk. IX and XVI from December 1946 to October 1953.

Mira 336 operated the Mk. V also from April to December 1946 and then the Mk. IX from December 1946 to August 1949, when they were replaced with the Curtiss SB2C Helldiver shortly after this conversion the Greek Civil War ended with victory of the governmental forces, after Yugoslavia ceased to support Greek Communist Partisans.

Two more units were formed by the Royal Hellenic Air Force. One squadron - Mira 337, which operated a mixture of Mk. IX and Mk. XVI from March 1947 to June 1952. This unit operated from Elefsis, in Athens. 
The other unit was the Scholi Aeroporias (Flying School) which operated the Spitfire Mk. XVI as advanced trainers from 1948 until September 1953.

It is stated that a single Spitfire PR.XI was also delivered to Greece in May 1947, together with three PR.XIII, but they were in reality the Vicker Wellington GR.XIII.

Sources:

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

2nd https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Plagis

3rd https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/335th_Squadron_(HAF)

4th https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/336th_Bomber_Squadron

5th http://www.historyofwar.org/air/units/RAF/335_wwII.html

6th http://www.historyofwar.org/air/units/RAF/336_wwII.html

7th https://www.haf.gr/en/history/historical-aircraft/

8th https://www.f-16.net/units_article318.html

9th https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/337th_Squadron_(HAF)

Airspeed AS.10 Oxford, part four, Various Users

The Airspeed AS.10 Oxford was a British twin-engined multi-purpose aircraft designed and developed by Airspeed Ltd. With 8.504 aircraft made, many of them were exported to various countries. Among them, the following ones:

• Denmark: At the end of 1946 the Royal Danish Air Force received 44 Oxfords that had belonged to the Royal Air Force (RAF). They were used for advanced flying training at the city of Karup, in Jutland. They were also used occasionally for communications and aerial photography and were withdrawn in 1956.
• Free France: The Free French Air Force received five new Oxfords in 1944. They were assigned to the 'Group Artois' (Artois Group) which was based at Pointe Noire (French Equatorial Africa - nowadays Republic of the Congo). They were used in auxiliary tasks, like aerial ambulances, until 1st July 1947 when the unit was deactivated.
• Finland: One Oxford T.1 was sold to a private Finnish owner in Denmark. It served through the 1950s until it was sold to another private owner. The one machine depicted below was equipped with skis. One of the few Oxford to feature such equipment.
• Greece: Due to the British help that Greece received after the World War 2, 19 Oxfords Mk.I/Mk.II were delivered in August 1945. They were followed in 1947 by 13 more and a number of them were equipped with bomb racks. Two Oxfords were equipped with photo-reconnaissance equipment, making them, together with the North American AT-6 Texan, the only dedicated recon aircraft available for the Royal Hellenic Air Force back then.
  They served through the Greek Civil War mainly in the reconnaissance role and were written off in 1948. It's unknown if they were used in the multi-engine advanced training role.
• Netherlands: The Airspeed Oxford was used by both the Royal Dutch Air Force and the Royal Dutch Naval Aviation Service. Initially, back in the No.1316 (Dutch) Communications Flight of the Royal Air Force, there were many Oxfords serving during the latest stages of the War. Additionally, three Oxfords were in service with the No.320 (Dutch) Squadron of the Royal Air Force.
  All those Oxfords, 28 according to some sources, passed on to serve with the Royal Dutch Air Force and were assigned to the AVOT (Additional Twin-Engine Pilot Training unit) at Twente, in Eastern Netherlands. They were also used for training the pilots of the Gloster Meteor, but by 1950 they were replaced by the Beechcraft AT-7.
  The Royal Dutch Naval Aviation Service received in early 1946 three Oxford on loan. They were used for training the so-called 'Detachment Aircraft Carriers, VKS' which was based at RAF Heston, in Middlesex as part of the 701 Naval Air Squadron of the Fleet Air Arm. From there, they performed regular flights to Schipol, Valkenburg and Eindhoven. In July those three aircraft were bought and were based in May 1947 at Valkenburg Naval Air Base, in the Netherlands, for liaison and photo-reconnaissance duties. Shortly later they were assigned to the No.320 Squadron for 'General Purpose Duties'. In 1951 a new squadron, the No.5 was formed and some Oxford were assigned there.
  Anyway, in 1952 and 1953 every remaining Oxford was written off from service as they were in poor conditions. They were replaced in their roles by the Beechcraft SNB-5/TC-45J  Navigator.

Sources:

1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airspeed_Oxford

2. https://www.ab-ix.co.uk/pdfs/airspeed_oxford_&_consul.pdf

3. https://www.haf.gr/en/history/historical-aircraft/airspeed-oxford-mk-i-ii/

4. https://kw.jonkerweb.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=746:airspeed-as-10-oxford-mkii-uk&catid=82&lang=en&showall=1&limitstart=&Itemid=544