May 8May 8 IMAGES TAKEN BY AUTHOR, DUXFORD 2009The Supermarine Spitfire Mk IIa P7350 is one of the most historically important surviving Spitfires in the world. It is the only airworthy Spitfire that fought in the Battle of Britain and is considered the oldest flying Spitfire in original condition.Construction and Early ServiceP7350 was built in 1940 at the Castle Bromwich factory in Birmingham as a Spitfire Mk IIa, powered by a Rolls-Royce Merlin XII engine. It was delivered to the RAF in August 1940 during the height of the Battle of Britain. Its first operational squadron was No. 266 Squadron RAF, where it carried the squadron code UO-T. In October 1940 it was transferred to No. 603 (City of Edinburgh) Squadron at RAF Hornchurch and given the code XT-D.Battle of Britain CombatOn 25 October 1940, P7350 took part in combat over southeast England during the closing phase of the Battle of Britain. Flown by Polish pilot Pilot Officer Ludwik Martel, the aircraft was attacked by German Messerschmitt Bf 109 fighters. A cannon shell badly damaged the aircraft and Martel himself was wounded by shrapnel. Despite severe damage, Martel managed to bring the Spitfire down in a wheels-up landing near Hastings. The aircraft was repaired and returned to service by December 1940.Wartime SurvivalUnlike most Battle of Britain Spitfires, P7350 survived the war. It continued flying in operational and training roles and accumulated battle scars, repairs, and modifications throughout its RAF career. After the war, many Spitfires were scrapped, and P7350 itself was reportedly sold for scrap for only £25. Fortunately, its historical significance was recognised before destruction.Restoration and Film CareerIn the late 1960s, P7350 was restored to flying condition for the 1969 film Battle of Britain. During this period many surviving Spitfires were rebuilt for cinematic flying scenes, but P7350 retained a large amount of original wartime structure.Battle of Britain Memorial FlightToday P7350 is operated by the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight (BBMF), based at RAF Coningsby in Lincolnshire. It regularly appears at airshows, commemorations, and ceremonial flypasts across the UK.
May 11May 11 Great photos!! I have Revell's 1/48th scale Mk II to build. Only problem, it's missing the canopy parts. Gary S.
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.