Spitfire PR.XIX G-RRGN/PS853

red964,

Fair enough, it is the bit about it being at a “jaunty angle” and it “towering above the road” that is confusing me as I do not believe that PM651 has ever been displayed like this.

Really stumped

Found it!!!!

This is what is now on the gate at RAF Benson.

MyAviation.net:

Photographer © Darren Smith

It is a PR Mk.XI Replica “EN343”

PM631 still has the invasion stripes.
You can see it on this years BBMF website is available at:
http://www.deltaweb.co.uk/bbmf/home.html

Hiya

Having never been to Leuchars and only ever seeing 1 PR spit at a jaunty angle I am 99% certain It was at Benson.

I think at the time the queens flight was there and some Met Andovers.
I remember taking a wander around and ending up near the main gate and this PR spitfire was towering above the road. It was all very impressive.

The reason I thought it might be 651 was that it had been there before
http://www.warbirdregistry.org/spitregistry/spitfire-pm651.html
however the records seem to indicate 651 was in storage.

I doubt it was a plastic one as I also went to Church Fenton Later and they still had their real one on the gate.

confused.

— EDIT
Ive just spotted on the list RAF Benson, 1971-1988.
– Gate guard.
hehehehe I knew I was right about it..

——-

red964,

Fair enough, it is the bit about it being at a “jaunty angle” and it “towering above the road” that is confusing me as I do not believe that PM651 has ever been displayed like this.

Really stumped

Benson gate guard PM651 – now in store at Stafford – not sure about it “towering above the road” :confused:

G-ORDY,

Nice shot, could you tell me what year was it taken?

Benson do/did have a fibreglass “PRXI” Spit on the gate, I think. Perhaps that’s what you’re thinking of? :confused:

(Too early on a Monday to be trying to think!!!)

Benson gate guard PM651 – now in store at Stafford – not sure about it “towering above the road” :confused:

Anyone got any pics of the THUM Spits at Woodvale?

MM

Hiya

Having never been to Leuchars and only ever seeing 1 PR spit at a jaunty angle I am 99% certain It was at Benson.

I think at the time the queens flight was there and some Met Andovers.
I remember taking a wander around and ending up near the main gate and this PR spitfire was towering above the road. It was all very impressive.

The reason I thought it might be 651 was that it had been there before
http://www.warbirdregistry.org/spitregistry/spitfire-pm651.html
however the records seem to indicate 651 was in storage.

I doubt it was a plastic one as I also went to Church Fenton Later and they still had their real one on the gate.

confused.

— EDIT
Ive just spotted on the list RAF Benson, 1971-1988.
– Gate guard.
hehehehe I knew I was right about it..

——-

]

Conclusion
Therefore the Mk.XIX shown in the picture could be either PS853 or PS915, as at that time they where both wearing similar PR colour schemes.
But, I am pretty sure that it is in fact PS915 not that long after she joined the flight. My reasons are the markings on the propellor blades which match markings on contemporary photos of a similar vintage in my collection.

Almost certainally PS915, if PS853 was under modification for the new griffon, she wouldn’t be sitting complete and looking ready for flight, almost certainally the cowlings/engine/prop wouldn’t be on.

spitfires?YAWN……NOT AGAIN

Hiya –
I cant shed any light on your question im afraid, but in a similiar vein I was at RAF Benson in the mid 80s on ATC camp and remember (I think it was Benson) there being a superb gate guardian PR XIX spitfire.

If ever a spitfire gate guardian stood out more I cant think of one better than the PR spitfire leaping up at a jaunty angle in the middle of the roundabout before the main gate.

If I won the euromillions tonight its the first thing I would buy.

That would have been PM651 which is currently in storage as part of the RAF museum’s Reserve Collection

Edit
Red964
Thinking more about this one and I’m not convinced I’m right, are you positive it was RAF Benson?
The reason I ask is that if we forget Mk.XIX and RAF Benson, the machine that fits the rest of the bill, i.e. “jaunty angle” and “middle of the roundabout before the main gate”, then this sounds suspiciously like Mk.21 LA198 at RAF Leuchars, Scotland. It was displayed on a pole at the main gate between 1986-1989.
Could it have been this one instead ?

From my notes,

PM631
late 1984 – Camo scheme, with D-Day stripes (91 Sqn, DL-E)
1990 – SEAC scheme 11 Sqn “N”, “Mary” on port engine cowling
Nov 1995 – SEAC scheme, AOC 681 Sqn “S”

PS853
up to 1987 – PRU scheme, no D-Day stripes or code letter
Between 1987 and 1989 she was grounded under modification to take the ex.Shackleton Griffon 58M
July 1989 – First flight with new engine. PRU scheme, “C” 16 Sqn, 2nd TAF

PS915
My notes seem to fail me here, as I have her wearing the Mk.XIV Prototype scheme twice !!!
Dec 1986 – Prototype Mk.XIV scheme to represent JF319 (Camo with Yellow undersides)
1987-1988 – PRU Blue scheme ?? (anyone any confirmation of this?)
1992 – Prototype Mk.XIV scheme to represent JF319 (Camo with Yellow undersides)
early 1998 – SEAC scheme, 153 Sqn “UM-G” with a Black Panter on the port side roundel

If anyone can put me right here that would be appreciated, failing that I will have a poke through my photo’s and books this evening to find out for definate.

Hope this is useful

This is from my books and photo’s

PM631
early 1984 – Camo scheme, with D-Day stripes (91 Sqn, DL-E, to represent a Mk.XIV at the time of the D-Day landings)
early 1990 – SEAC scheme 11 Sqn “N”, “Mary” on port engine cowling
Nov 1995 – SEAC scheme, AOC 681 Sqn “S”

PS853
early 1974 – PRU Blue scheme, no D-Day stripes or code letter
Between 1987 and 1989 she was grounded under modification to take the ex.Shackleton Griffon 58M
July 1989 – First flight with new engine and new colour scheme. PRU scheme, “C” 16 Sqn, 2nd TAF (this is when she gained her D-Day stripes and “C” code letter)

PS915
March 1987 – PR Blue on delivery to Conningsby
early 1992 – Camouflage scheme with Yellow undersides to represent the first Prototype Mk.XIV, JF319
early 1998 – SEAC scheme, 153 Sqn “UM-G” with a Black Panter on the port side roundel

Conclusion
Therefore the Mk.XIX shown in the picture could be either PS853 or PS915, as at that time they where both wearing similar PR colour schemes.
But, I am pretty sure that it is in fact PS915 not that long after she joined the flight. My reasons are the markings on the propellor blades which match markings on contemporary photos of a similar vintage in my collection.

Benson Spit

Hiya –
I cant shed any light on your question im afraid, but in a similiar vein I was at RAF Benson in the mid 80s on ATC camp and remember (I think it was Benson) there being a superb gate guardian PR XIX spitfire.

If ever a spitfire gate guardian stood out more I cant think of one better than the PR spitfire leaping up at a jaunty angle in the middle of the roundabout before the main gate.

If I won the euromillions tonight its the first thing I would buy.

Thanks to all of you for responding to this. Apologies for not digging further before I posted but hey, it’s still classed as research on the web!! I guess the D-Day stripes will be the telling factor. I will ask the BBMF if they can shed any light on it.

PS915 was delivered in PR blue and then painted in prototype markings after a few years (4 or 6?) of use.

From my notes,

PM631
late 1984 – Camo scheme, with D-Day stripes (91 Sqn, DL-E)
1990 – SEAC scheme 11 Sqn “N”, “Mary” on port engine cowling
Nov 1995 – SEAC scheme, AOC 681 Sqn “S”

PS853
up to 1987 – PRU scheme, no D-Day stripes or code letter
Between 1987 and 1989 she was grounded under modification to take the ex.Shackleton Griffon 58M
July 1989 – First flight with new engine. PRU scheme, “C” 16 Sqn, 2nd TAF

PS915
My notes seem to fail me here, as I have her wearing the Mk.XIV Prototype scheme twice !!!
Dec 1986 – Prototype Mk.XIV scheme to represent JF319 (Camo with Yellow undersides)
1987-1988 – PRU Blue scheme ?? (anyone any confirmation of this?)
1992 – Prototype Mk.XIV scheme to represent JF319 (Camo with Yellow undersides)
early 1998 – SEAC scheme, 153 Sqn “UM-G” with a Black Panter on the port side roundel

If anyone can put me right here that would be appreciated, failing that I will have a poke through my photo’s and books this evening to find out for definate.

Hope this is useful

I think you are right but she was in camoflage, the Spit in the picture has a PR finish. When was PM631 painted in SEAC PR colours?

D’oh! I meant “D-day stripes and camo”! :rolleyes:

It’s frustrating without the books in front of me, but I think PM got her SEAC *fighter* colours after the camo-and-stripes. The PR SEAC colours were more recent – mid-90s perhaps?

I think you are right but she was in camoflage, the Spit in the picture has a PR finish. When was PM631 painted in SEAC PR colours?

I seem to recall PM631 wore D-Day stripes up until at least 1986.

PS915 was in PRU blue only after rebuild before repainting sometime later, while PS853 has worn those same markings for a number of years. Without the books in front of me I can’t be certain, but I’m about 80% sure….

Not sure but didn’t PS853 have invasion stripes under the wings whilst PS915 didn’t? I think PM631 was in camo. I can’t see stripes in the picture so believe it was PS915.