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A pair of Spitfires of No. 443 Squadron, 127 Wing RCAF, beat up the airfield over the squadron’s flying control unit at Petit Brogel, Belgium, March 1945.

The aircraft nearest to the camera is a clipped-wing Spitfire Mk. XVIe coded 2I-D serial no. TB476, piloted by the unit’s CO, Sqn/Ldr Art Sager. His aircraft wore the name “LADYKILLER” painted on the cowling.

Art Sager commenced his operational flying duties in April 1942 and flew an array of Spitfire marks with Nos. 421, 403, 416 and 443 Squadrons. He destroyed 5 enemy aircraft during his operational career and proved to be a most skillful leader. Sager loved the Spitfire and of all the marks he preferred the reliable Rolls-Royce equipped Mk IX. [Public Archives of Canada, via Pat Murphy]