With all this discussion on the 50th Anniversary year, it is perhaps worth recalling some of the lesser known Spitfires associated with the Flight.
Two of the original Spitfires allotted to the Flight were Mk XVI’s SL574 and TE476. Both of these were involved in ‘wheels up’ landings and ‘withdrawn from use’. At the time the reliability of the Packard built engines was bought in to question.
Supporting the two XVI’s, but of little value after the XVI withdrawals, was a derelict ‘low back’. The wings were off and it was out to grass by the Flight’s hangar at RAF Martlesham Heath. It has been variously quoted as SL718 or TE464. It was photographed in August 1959. What became of it I wonder.
Also supporting the XVI’s at Martlesham were two ‘high back’ examples TB287 and TB308. Of a higher quality than the former, these two were inside the hangar but also dismantled. They were further seen inside at RAF Bicester by September 1961 before being consigned to the scrap compound at 71MU by 1962 and away they went to the smelters.
With hindsight…………….
I see a couple of Gremlins have crept in to the the new BBMF brochure. One of the original flying XVI’s is referred to as SL674. This is a survivor, but the closest it got to the Flight was to be the Gate Guard at Biggin Hill in the late 1950’s. This clearly should be SL574.
TE330 is claimed in the brochure to have have been a Flight aircraft. Whilst it technically was allotted to the Station Flights at Biggin Hill and North Weald in March 1958 and flew in identical livery as SL574 & TE476 at Martlesham, this appears to have been only a measure to prepare the aircraft for flying status before being presented to the USAF in July 1958, at a handing over ceremony at RAF Odiham. The aircraft was destined for the USAF Academy at Colorado Springs/Denver but was steered toward the USAF Museum at Dayton, Ohio. I strongly doubt any involvement with the Smithsonian as quoted and would be keen to know if it actually performed any display duties for the Flight. It certainly participated at a ‘Drumhead Service’ at Biggin in September 1957, probably as a static, and later made an air to air photo call with the Flight’s Hurricane LF363.
Mark
By: Mark12 - 19th May 2007 at 10:00
There’s an interesting bit of Pathe film of a chapel dedicated at Biggin in ’54, (I’d hoped it was ’57 🙁 )with a Spitfire and Hurricane, following film of the RAF Biggin Hill show of that year, and a pilot’s reunion.
THE “MANY” HONOUR THE “FEW” – BATTLE OF BRITAIN ANNIVERSARY 23/09/1954 184.29 Ex Battle of Britain pilots gather to mark the anniversary of the Battle.
James,
This Drumhead service appears to be the dedication of Mk XVI SL674 and Hurricane LF738 to the Memorial Chapel at Biggin Hill – “Chapel Guardians”.
Candidates for the single silver/monotone Mk XVI Spitfire flyby are TE357, favourite, but possibly SL542.
Mark
By: JDK - 19th May 2007 at 06:19
It certainly participated at a ‘Drumhead Service’ at Biggin in September 1957, probably as a static, and later made an air to air photo call with the Flight’s Hurricane LF363.
There’s an interesting bit of Pathe film of a chapel dedicated at Biggin in ’54, (I’d hoped it was ’57 🙁 )with a Spitfire and Hurricane, following film of the RAF Biggin Hill show of that year, and a pilot’s reunion.
THE “MANY” HONOUR THE “FEW” – BATTLE OF BRITAIN ANNIVERSARY 23/09/1954 184.29 Ex Battle of Britain pilots gather to mark the anniversary of the Battle.
By: *Zwitter* - 18th May 2007 at 23:18
just how ‘dead’ is TB382?
Even when ‘reduced’ to spares could there be enough to rebuild something from the ‘core’?
Surely some of today’s airwothy examples have been built from little more than a few original bits?
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May 18, 2007 at 8:20 pm