![]() Various refinements to the design and the re-tuned Merlin 66 engine combined to make a fearsome opponent. ![]() The ‘E’ indicates a revised twin Hispano Mark II 20mm and Browning. By mid 1944, Spitfire IXe models were rolling off the production lines and into active service squadrons. ![]() The Spitfire IX transcended its own initial purposes by going on to be one of the most produced and successful models of Spitfire. The early Spitfire IX was a modified Spitfire V designed as an interim stopgap model that could handle the increased power of the Merlin 60 series engines. The operation’s codename was “Baseplate.” Though surprise was achieved, Allied forces recovered from the attacks quickly and the Luftwaffe lost many of its remaining experienced pilots. In an effort to cripple Allied air support, the Luftwaffe hatched a scheme to attack 16 Allied airbases across the front all at once in one combined operation. Heavy fighting continued, however, the rapid advance of the previous months was nowhere to be found for the Western Allies. After the failure of Operation Market Garden, the Western Front stabilized for several months stretching from the fall of 1944 through to the spring of 1945.
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