avi8tor4321
January 27th, 2019, 19:37
Included are five paints of the Spitfire's involved. Enjoy!
AR213,
Actually a MkIa, this aircraft was built by the Westland Aircraft Factory, Yeovil, UK in 1941. Delivered to No.12 M.U Kirkbride and relegated to training duties initially, she ended up at No.7 O.T.U. Harwarden. Following a number of landing accidents she was struck off charge in November 1945. She was purchased by Group Captain Allen Henry Wheeler in October 1946. Later on, she was made airworthy for the movie ‘Battle of Britain’ as N3311/A1-13 and afterwards acquired by Patrick Lindsay in 1974. A number of ownership changes followed until acquired by the current owner and based at Duxford. She is depicted here as she was during filming of London Weekend Television's "Piece of Cake" during 1987.
PL983,
PL983 was built in 1944, served in Europe with 4 squadron before it later passed to 2 squadron in post war occupied Germany. Famously raced by wartime ATA pilot, Lettice Curtis, it later passed to the Shuttleworth Collection at Old Warden and placed it on static display. A restoration to flight was started by a volunteer team, but the collection sold it unfinished in 1983. Purchased by wartime pilot Roland Frassinet, it became the first Spitfire to be restored by Trent Aero Engineering and made its first rebuild flight in July 1984 at East Midlands Airport. Sold to Doug Arnold, it featured in the TV series “Piece of Cake” and following his death in 1992, PL983 was placed in storage until being re-assembled at North Weald prior to sale to Justin Fleming in 1999. Operated by Martin Sargeant, it was overhauled and re-flown, but sadly met with a fatal accident at Rouen in France June 2001. She is here depicted as she was in the filming of London Weekend Televison's "Piece of Cake" in 1987.
MH434,
Air tested by the legendary Alex Henshaw in early August 1943, the illustrious history of this much loved aircraft then continued service with 222 Sqn. MH434 was was flown in combat by South African pilot Flt. Lt. Henry Lardner-Burke, DFC, with seven and a half kills, three damaged. On the 27th August 1943 in the St Omar area over France, Lardner-Burke shot down a Focke-Wulf FW-190 and damaged a second during a mission to escort USAAF B-17 bombers. On the 5th September 1943 Lardner-Burke and MH434 shot down another FW-190 in the Nieuport area, and on the 8th September 1943 claimed a half share in the downing of a Messerschmitt Bf-109G in Northern France. Later flown by Flt. Sgt. (later Wing Co) Bill Burge who declared it to be ‘the perfect Spitfire’. Post war service was seen with both the Dutch and Belgian air forces before finally returning home to civilian life. Ray Hanna began his outstanding partnership with MH434 in 1970 and it has been operated by his OFMCo since 1983.
NH238,
Built in 1943, NH238 was transferred to an unknown MU on 6 May 1944, then to RNAF as H-103. Brought on charge 30 May 1947, the aircraft was shipped to Java, N.E.I., arriving on July 22, 1947. Struck off in 1953, she was returned to Royal Belgian AF as SM-36. By 1956 ownership passed to COGEA Nouvelle, Ostend and was civil registered as OO-ARE. Acquired by Beverley Snook in Southend, UK, on 27 May 1961, the aircraft had it's wing damaged from ground fuel explosion at Elstree in June of the same year. She then passed to Taskers of Andover Ltd and displayed in company museum on RAF Transporter until 1969, then NH238 was bought by the CAF and moved Sugarland, Texas then Galveston by 1970, registered as N238V. By 1979, Douglas Arnold took NH238 back to Blackbushe, UK into his Warbirds of GB Ltd as G-MKIX. She was sporadically flown from Blackbushe 1984 as "D-A" until 1995, when she was dismantled and placed into storage at North Weald- where she remains today.
ML417,
ML417 joined 443 RCAF Sqn in spring 1944 and was one of the first Allied aircraft to land on French soil shortly after D-Day. In one hectic week she severely damaged an Fw190 and destroyed a further pair of Me109's, picking up some flak damage in the process. After the war she was modified by Vickers to a two-seat configuration on behalf of the Indian Air Force where she was to spend the next 25 years. It was rescued from India by a US Senator who took her back to the USA for a potential rebuild until she was acquired by Stephen Grey, who had the rebuild done at Booker, United Kingdom. This included the removal of the rear cockpit, and meant moving the front cockpit back about 13 inches! ML417 was one of the first aircraft to join The Fighter Collection and although missing out on the Battle of Britain film because of her Indian service, ML417 has starred in "Piece of Cake" and "A Perfect Hero". Though she now resides in California as N2TF, she's here down as she was in 1988.
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4910/33026152538_f981667529_h.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/SjpEx5)
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7828/39936779943_ba66b25043_h.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/23R5rir)
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4870/46901545341_8c6e41c820_h.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2eswFpt)
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7881/45986940855_3d5b8682c3_h.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2d4H6mB)
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7832/33026159738_a868fe24be_h.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/SjpGFd)
AR213,
Actually a MkIa, this aircraft was built by the Westland Aircraft Factory, Yeovil, UK in 1941. Delivered to No.12 M.U Kirkbride and relegated to training duties initially, she ended up at No.7 O.T.U. Harwarden. Following a number of landing accidents she was struck off charge in November 1945. She was purchased by Group Captain Allen Henry Wheeler in October 1946. Later on, she was made airworthy for the movie ‘Battle of Britain’ as N3311/A1-13 and afterwards acquired by Patrick Lindsay in 1974. A number of ownership changes followed until acquired by the current owner and based at Duxford. She is depicted here as she was during filming of London Weekend Television's "Piece of Cake" during 1987.
PL983,
PL983 was built in 1944, served in Europe with 4 squadron before it later passed to 2 squadron in post war occupied Germany. Famously raced by wartime ATA pilot, Lettice Curtis, it later passed to the Shuttleworth Collection at Old Warden and placed it on static display. A restoration to flight was started by a volunteer team, but the collection sold it unfinished in 1983. Purchased by wartime pilot Roland Frassinet, it became the first Spitfire to be restored by Trent Aero Engineering and made its first rebuild flight in July 1984 at East Midlands Airport. Sold to Doug Arnold, it featured in the TV series “Piece of Cake” and following his death in 1992, PL983 was placed in storage until being re-assembled at North Weald prior to sale to Justin Fleming in 1999. Operated by Martin Sargeant, it was overhauled and re-flown, but sadly met with a fatal accident at Rouen in France June 2001. She is here depicted as she was in the filming of London Weekend Televison's "Piece of Cake" in 1987.
MH434,
Air tested by the legendary Alex Henshaw in early August 1943, the illustrious history of this much loved aircraft then continued service with 222 Sqn. MH434 was was flown in combat by South African pilot Flt. Lt. Henry Lardner-Burke, DFC, with seven and a half kills, three damaged. On the 27th August 1943 in the St Omar area over France, Lardner-Burke shot down a Focke-Wulf FW-190 and damaged a second during a mission to escort USAAF B-17 bombers. On the 5th September 1943 Lardner-Burke and MH434 shot down another FW-190 in the Nieuport area, and on the 8th September 1943 claimed a half share in the downing of a Messerschmitt Bf-109G in Northern France. Later flown by Flt. Sgt. (later Wing Co) Bill Burge who declared it to be ‘the perfect Spitfire’. Post war service was seen with both the Dutch and Belgian air forces before finally returning home to civilian life. Ray Hanna began his outstanding partnership with MH434 in 1970 and it has been operated by his OFMCo since 1983.
NH238,
Built in 1943, NH238 was transferred to an unknown MU on 6 May 1944, then to RNAF as H-103. Brought on charge 30 May 1947, the aircraft was shipped to Java, N.E.I., arriving on July 22, 1947. Struck off in 1953, she was returned to Royal Belgian AF as SM-36. By 1956 ownership passed to COGEA Nouvelle, Ostend and was civil registered as OO-ARE. Acquired by Beverley Snook in Southend, UK, on 27 May 1961, the aircraft had it's wing damaged from ground fuel explosion at Elstree in June of the same year. She then passed to Taskers of Andover Ltd and displayed in company museum on RAF Transporter until 1969, then NH238 was bought by the CAF and moved Sugarland, Texas then Galveston by 1970, registered as N238V. By 1979, Douglas Arnold took NH238 back to Blackbushe, UK into his Warbirds of GB Ltd as G-MKIX. She was sporadically flown from Blackbushe 1984 as "D-A" until 1995, when she was dismantled and placed into storage at North Weald- where she remains today.
ML417,
ML417 joined 443 RCAF Sqn in spring 1944 and was one of the first Allied aircraft to land on French soil shortly after D-Day. In one hectic week she severely damaged an Fw190 and destroyed a further pair of Me109's, picking up some flak damage in the process. After the war she was modified by Vickers to a two-seat configuration on behalf of the Indian Air Force where she was to spend the next 25 years. It was rescued from India by a US Senator who took her back to the USA for a potential rebuild until she was acquired by Stephen Grey, who had the rebuild done at Booker, United Kingdom. This included the removal of the rear cockpit, and meant moving the front cockpit back about 13 inches! ML417 was one of the first aircraft to join The Fighter Collection and although missing out on the Battle of Britain film because of her Indian service, ML417 has starred in "Piece of Cake" and "A Perfect Hero". Though she now resides in California as N2TF, she's here down as she was in 1988.
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4910/33026152538_f981667529_h.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/SjpEx5)
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7828/39936779943_ba66b25043_h.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/23R5rir)
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4870/46901545341_8c6e41c820_h.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2eswFpt)
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7881/45986940855_3d5b8682c3_h.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2d4H6mB)
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7832/33026159738_a868fe24be_h.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/SjpGFd)