Quote Originally Posted by gecko View Post
What's the story on BQ-S? Is it an HF.IX, or a recce model?
Neither - it's actually an F.MkIX with a Merlin 63, taken on charge on 5th June 1943. At this point the LF.MkIX had been in production for some 3 months or so, but was still not the main production model. The HF.MkIX was not yet in production.

This aircraft was used as a high altitude interceptor, despite the fact that it did not have the extended wingtips.