History Behind Corgi AA38707: Spitfire Mk.XIVc, No. 322 Sqn (1944)

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Introduction

Corgi Aviation Archive AA38707 depicts Supermarine Spitfire Mk.XIVc RM740 in the markings identified by Corgi as 3W-WI of No. 322 (Dutch) Squadron, based at RAF Deanland during August 1944.

RM740 had only a brief but documented association with the squadron. Spitfire serial-history records place it with No. 322 Squadron from 1 August 1944 before it transferred to No. 350 Squadron on 9 August.^[1] This places the aircraft at an important transitional point, just as No. 322 Squadron's intensive campaign against German V-1 flying bombs was drawing to a close.

Quick Facts

• Aircraft: Supermarine Spitfire Mk.XIVc
• Serial: RM740
• Markings represented by Corgi: 3W-WI
• Operator: Royal Air Force
• Unit: No. 322 (Dutch) Squadron
• Location represented: RAF Deanland, East Sussex
• Documented service with No. 322 Squadron: 1-9 August 1944
• Model: Corgi Aviation Archive AA38707
• Scale: 1:72

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The Spitfire Mk.XIVc: A More Powerful Spitfire

The Spitfire Mk.XIV was one of the most powerful wartime developments of the famous Supermarine fighter. Its defining feature was the Rolls-Royce Griffon 65 engine, replacing the Merlin engines associated with many earlier Spitfire variants.

An original wartime description preserved by the Imperial War Museums records that the Griffon 65 produced more than 2,000 horsepower and drove a five-bladed constant-speed propeller. It also used a two-speed supercharger, helping the aircraft maintain strong performance at different altitudes.^[2]

This additional power made the Mk.XIV particularly effective when speed, acceleration and rapid climbing were essential. Those qualities were valuable not only in conventional fighter operations, but also when intercepting the fast-moving V-1 flying bombs that began reaching southern England during the summer of 1944.

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No. 322 (Dutch) Squadron and the V-1 Campaign

No. 322 Squadron was a Dutch-manned fighter squadron serving within the Royal Air Force. During the summer of 1944, it operated the Spitfire Mk.XIV as part of the defence against German V-1 flying bombs approaching London and southern England.

The Netherlands Institute for Military History records that the squadron flew V-1 interception sorties almost daily until the beginning of August. On 2 August, one of its pilots destroyed the squadron's one-hundredth V-1.^[3]

The Commonwealth War Graves Commission gives the squadron's main anti-V-1 period as 20 June to 9 August 1944 and credits it with 108.5 V-1s destroyed.^[4] These operations were often known as anti-diver patrols, using the RAF reporting name given to incoming flying bombs.

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RM740's Brief Service with No. 322 Squadron

RM740 joined No. 322 Squadron on 1 August 1944, when the unit's V-1 campaign was already nearing its conclusion. It transferred to No. 350 Squadron only eight days later.^[1]

The dates suggest that RM740 did not share the long anti-diver service of some earlier No. 322 Squadron Spitfires. Its historical interest instead comes from its brief connection with the squadron during the final days of that campaign and the wider transition from the defence of Britain towards offensive operations over north-west Europe.

Corgi represents the aircraft with the identity 3W-WI. While RM740's short allocation to No. 322 Squadron is supported by serial records, the exact individual markings should be understood as the scheme chosen by Corgi for this commemorative release.

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RAF Deanland and the Invasion Stripes

Corgi places RM740 at RAF Deanland in East Sussex. Deanland had been constructed as an Advanced Landing Ground to support the Normandy landings, and its wartime history is closely connected with the aerial operations surrounding D-Day.^[5]

The black and white bands are among the most recognisable features of AA38707. These invasion stripes were introduced before D-Day to make Allied aircraft easier to identify and to reduce the danger of friendly fire. On single-engined aircraft, the alternating stripes were officially specified at 18 inches wide.^[6]

The stripes give the model an immediate visual connection with the Normandy campaign and the crowded Allied skies of the summer of 1944. Combined with the Griffon-powered Spitfire shape and Dutch squadron markings, they make AA38707 particularly distinctive when displayed alongside earlier Spitfire releases.

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Lasting Legacy and Collector Appeal

Corgi AA38707 represents more than another variation of the Spitfire. It combines one of the most powerful wartime Spitfire marks with the history of a Dutch-manned RAF squadron, the final stages of the V-1 campaign and the instantly recognisable markings associated with D-Day.

The Mk.XIV also has a noticeably different character from the earlier Merlin-powered Spitfires commonly represented in model collections. Its Griffon engine, five-bladed propeller and late-war appearance give it a more imposing presence, even in 1:72 scale.

For collectors, Corgi Aviation Archive AA38707 brings together an unusual aircraft identity, a short documented service window and one of the most visually striking Spitfire schemes produced by Corgi.

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Sources and Further Reading

1. CASPIR and AirHistory Spitfire Serial Register - service history and squadron allocation recorded for Spitfire RM740.
2. Imperial War Museums: RAF Spitfire F Mk.XIV - original wartime technical description of the Griffon 65 engine and five-bladed propeller.
3. Netherlands Institute for Military History: No. 322 Squadron and the V-1 Campaign - Dutch military-history account of the squadron's Spitfire Mk.XIV operations.
4. Commonwealth War Graves Commission: No. 322 Dutch Squadron - English-language history covering the squadron's 1944 anti-V-1 operations.
5. Deanland Airfield: Wartime History - background on RAF Deanland and its role as an Advanced Landing Ground supporting D-Day.
6. Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum: The Stripes of D-Day - explanation of the purpose, dimensions and introduction of Allied invasion stripes.

Historical aircraft markings can vary between photographs, published references and model-manufacturer interpretations. The 3W-WI identity described above refers to the markings represented on the Corgi AA38707 release.