RAAF jeep markings?

[Keith Webb]

This was 457 Squadron RAAF which was transferred back to Australia. I don't think they had Jeeps or were called Grey Nurse until they were here and re-equipped with Spitfire VIIIs.

By that stage (1944) the shark mouth was a popular thing. For those not in the know a Grey Nurse is a type of shark.

Here's a pic of the Temora Aviation Museum's Spit painted as a 457 machine with the RAAF Museum's Mustang.

[Bob Carriere]

Wonderful picture and fantastic restoration job....

Bob

[Keith Webb]

Originally Posted by Bob Carriere

Wonderful picture and fantastic restoration job....

Bob

The Spitfire has an interesting history, to tell it briefly: It was the last Spitfire accepted by the RAAF and stayed unassembled for many years, being sent to a tech school and finally it was bought and rebuilt by the late Col Pay, a well known warbird collector here. The Temora Aviation Museum purchased it and added the 457 squadron markings. It depicts the personal aircraft of the famous Bobby Gibbes, DFC*. The codes were not the standard ones for the squadron, it was the CO's privilege to have his initials, in this case the RG for Robert Gibbes and V for victory.
The Mustang pictured is in fact a CAC CA-18 Mustang Mk 23, serial A68-170 and has never been out of RAAF ownership.
Here's a close-up of it's smile as seen from the Hudson's turret:



Sorry to sort of derail the thread...

[Keith Webb]

This is from a 457 Squadron album - you can see the squadron logo.

[Rick W]

Good jeep pic Keith, thanks for posting up.