{"product_id":"spitfire-pr-mk-xi-of-no-541-squadron-raf-playing-cards","title":"Spitfire PR Mk XI of No. 541 Squadron RAF Playing Cards","description":"\u003cp\u003eSupermarine Spitfire PR Mk XI, PL775 “A”, of No. 541 Squadron RAF is shown in flight above the English countryside near RAF Benson in July 1944. This aircraft was typical of the unit’s unarmed PR Spitfires, optimized for range and altitude, with camera ports in the rear fuselage for vertical coverage of targets deep in enemy territory. Based at Benson from April 1944, PL775 “A” went on to fly intensive reconnaissance work with 541 Squadron, ranging across occupied Europe from this quiet Oxfordshire airfield. About a year after the photograph was taken, in July 1945, it was damaged in a taxying collision with another Spitfire on the same station, the pilot escaping unharmed. Repaired and passed to No. 71 Maintenance Unit in early 1946, the well travelled PR.XI was finally struck off charge that April.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNo. 541 Squadron RAF was formed at Benson in October 1942 as a specialist photographic reconnaissance unit, flying unarmed Spitfire PR variants on lone missions over occupied Europe. Operating from Benson and forward detachments, its aircraft, like PL775, ranged widely from the Bay of Biscay to Scandinavia, photographing ports, airfields, industry and transport links in support of operations such as Overlord. By mid 1944, PR Mk XI Spitfires were central to this work, relying on speed, altitude and pilot skill rather than armament to penetrate defended airspace and return the imagery that guided Allied bombing and ground offensives.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Printify","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51281639702823,"sku":"21718000121763819754","price":17.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0063\/1219\/8232\/files\/2138010781414531989_2048.jpg?v=1776054923","url":"https:\/\/iloveahangar.com\/products\/spitfire-pr-mk-xi-of-no-541-squadron-raf-playing-cards","provider":"I Love a Hangar","version":"1.0","type":"link"}