Spitfire Vb Floatplane - Backstory

[Leading Observer]

Astypalaia Harbour, Dodecanese Islands 0800 25th December 1943

Flight Sergeant Burroughs sighed as he put the tools back in his toolbox, straightened his back and admired the result of the nights work. The Spitfire Vb rested on its twin floats, rising and falling in the slight swell in the harbour. This was the first of three of the converted Spitfires assigned to "A" flight to be assembled here at Astypalaia with the aim intercepting Axis supply flights to Crete. As he turned away from the harbour to see where Aircraftsman Ball had got to with the tea he had requested at least 20 minutes ago, he caught the sound of heavy diesel engines out in the harbour. Shielding his eyes against the bright sunshine he could make out the shapes of at least two Torpedo boats entering the harbour and turning towards him. Before he could react, a burst of gunfire echoed off the buildings and heavily accented voice shouted "Stay where you are! Do not move". And so it was that F/s Burroughs and his crew became PoWs and his converted Spitfires came under new ownership.