Royal Air Force Pics in the Indian Ocean Islands in the 40's
Picture scanned from "Ghosts of the Skies - Aviation in the Second World War".
The Aircraft has been identified as an F4U
Corsairs at Fleet Air Arm station HMS Rajaliya at Puttalam airstrip. The
elephant is one of those used to haul aircraft back on to the PSP
steel surface when they slid off into the mud on landing. Refer
"Sunday Times" article "Of Aeroplanes and Jumbos"
(Feb 2, 1997) and sequel "The Rajaliya of Puttalam" (July 6,
1997) by Roger Thiedeman.
RAF planes and crew in the Cocos Islands in 1944 - a location familiar to readers of Noel Crusz's book on the Cocos Islands Mutiny. The Aircraft in the picture have been identified as
Supermarine Type 359 Spitfire Mk LF.VIII of No 136 Sqdn, RAF