An ex-RAAF operated Spitfire XVI currently in NZ has been bought by the Temora Aviation Museum in NSW.
Temora’s press release & links follows. It’s a long time since I saw G-CDAN on the DX flightline. Truly a ‘small world’!
The Temora Aviation Museum is excited to announce that a second airworthy Spitfire will be incorporated into its collection in June 2006.
Museum Chief Engineer Peter Pring-Shambler gives the engine a workout during the pre-purchase inspection. Photo: Kenny Love
The Temora Aviation Museum, located in southwest New South Wales currently operates the only airworthy Spitfire in Australia, along with a historical collection of ex-military aircraft including a Lockheed Hudson, Wirraway, Tiger Moth, Meteor, Canberra, and Vampire. Regular Flying Days are held during which the Museum displays its collection in the skies above Temora. The addition of this Spitfire will give Museum visitors the unique opportunity to see two Spitfires in the sky together in Australia.
This Supermarine Mk XVI Spitfire TB863 is an ex-wartime example, built at Vickers Armstrong’s Castle Bromwich “shadow factory”, near Birmingham, in late 1944. The aircraft is currently located in New Zealand and will be shipped to Temora after the Warbirds over Wanaka airshow.
TB863 is powered by a Rolls Royce Packard Merlin and was one of the last built with the standard fuselage design. The aircraft was test flown from Castle Bromwich and subsequently delivered to No. 19 Maintenance Unit at RAF St Athan on 27 February 1945. It was issued to No. 453 Squadron Royal Australian Air Force (one of a number of empire units serving with the RAF) based at Matlask, Norfolk on 22 March as a replacement for a Spitfire which forced landed in Holland.
Spitfire TB863’s restoration was completed in 1988 by The Fighter Collection at Duxford UK and since then has taken pride of place in Sir Tim Wallis’s Alpine Fighter Collection at Wanaka in New Zealand. The Spitfire is currently painted in a World War II paint scheme and wears the same markings as when it served with the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) over the skies of Europe.
Temora Aviation Museum President and Founder Mr. David Lowy, AM stated “We are very proud to bring to Australia an important piece of our military aviation heritage. The aircraft is in excellent condition and is a testament to the dedication and work that Sir Tim Wallis and his team invested over the years. We look forward to displaying both of our Spitfire’s for many years to come”.
Sir Tim stated that “We are delighted that TB863 is going to Temora, Australia. With its’ Australian Squadron history it will be a wonderful heritage item for them to add to their collection. I hope to be at Temora for one of it’s first flights and to meet with David and his people”.
Check out the links for pictures of our newest acquisition.
http://aviationmuseum.ayera.com/news/spitfiretb.cfm
http://www.nzfpm.co.nz/aircraft/mkxvi.htm
By: JägerMarty - 18th April 2006 at 13:45
That’s great news for us in Oz, things really have been on the up lately.
I feel for the Kiwi’s tho, with that collection being sold off.
On a lighter note….
What did the Kiwi say to the Israeli??
Heybrew! 🙂
By: mikey676 - 15th April 2006 at 00:50
This is sad news, especially when you think of the great collection that use to be the alpine fighter c.
I am pleased that I have many memories and photographs of it, including stephen Grey taking it for it’s second journey skyward in NZ…..
But I guess that it is an expencive pastime and unless I win lotto tonight (and a few more times) then there isn’t a lot I can do or say other than I hope it entertains people ( and australians….;-)) as much as it has done here….
By: STORMBIRD262 - 14th April 2006 at 16:32
Good and Bad!
G’ day JDK 🙂 ,
Happy Easter Mate! :p
So if that Tony dude get’s his Spit flying, that mean’s we will have 3 flying Spit’s in Oz.
Now that has been a while Jame’s 😎 , and I see a few more maybe added when finished, what total could we be looking at flying here ? :confused: .
I hope they can all stay here, for a while atleast.
Would be real nice to see 3 plus Spit’s at an Oz Airshow, Maybe leading in 3 Boomerang’s :rolleyes: 😀 .
Sad New’s for N.Z. Lad’s 🙁 , but a real instant Spit drought breaker for Oz 😉 .
Thank’s for the update mate, and link’s
By: HP57 - 14th April 2006 at 15:04
Seems like the New Zealand collection is winding down?
Cees
Ok, just saw the other thread, hadn’t read that before. 😮
oops
Cees
By: Old Fart - 14th April 2006 at 12:23
She was on display for many years, I beleve before she was at the Southend Musuem she was displayed on or close to Victoria Avenue, Southend
By: DazDaMan - 14th April 2006 at 09:50
There is/was a pic of the Spit XVIs, in their German marks, floating around on the forum someplace. I thought I had it saved somewhere, but can’t find it! 🙁
Nope, here it is.
(with apologies to original poster)
By: Septic - 14th April 2006 at 09:37
For those of you who have a spare 1/72 Spitfire IX/ XVI model kit in the loft, there is already a set of markings to depict TB863 in its 1950 Luftwaffe scheme.
Septic.
By: JDK - 14th April 2006 at 09:24
If I remember rightly TB863 once wore Luftwaffe markings for its role as part of a ‘Messerschmitt Staffel’. This was for a reenactment of the famous Amiens Mosquito raid at a Farnborough airshow in the fifties.
You do remember correctly! Now that would be a scheme to restore an aircraft into. REALLY annoy the annoraks…
By: Dave Homewood - 14th April 2006 at 09:16
Sad news.
By: Septic - 14th April 2006 at 09:11
Great News for Temora,
If I remember rightly TB863 once wore Luftwaffe markings for its role as part of a ‘Messerschmitt Staffel’. This was for a reenactment of the famous Amiens Mosquito raid at a Farnborough airshow in the fifties.
Thanks JDK for keeping us up to date.
Septic.
By: HP57 - 14th April 2006 at 08:31
Seems like the New Zealand collection is winding down?
Cees
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April 14, 2006 at 7:48 am