Yesterday afternoon RM927 took to the skies for the first time post another stunning restoration by the Air Leasing team.
RM927 was flown with code ‘G9-X’ by No. 430 (Canadian) Sq. RAF, based at Eindhoven, the Netherlands. After the end of the war it was sold to the Belgische Luchtmacht (Belgian Air Force), and flew as SG-25 with code ‘3R-D’ until November 1947. After its decomissioning the wings were cut off, and as ‘IQ-W’ the Spit was used as a display in Ostend, Belgium.
In 1967 the machine was sold to the UK but within two years it ended up in the storage of the Victory Air Museum of Riverside (IL), USA. It was not until 1982 that two Americans bothered to take up the restoration of RM927, but this was only the first step.
In 1995 the Spitfire went back to the UK, where Paul M. Andrews became the new owner. Several steps of the restoration were undertaken at High Wycombe, Sandown, High Wycombe again and then Biggin Hill. On the second photo project RM927 is seen as it was in December 2020 still located in the Biggin Hill Heritage Hangar, so it is obvious that a lot can happen in fifteen months time.
Since March 2009, the project was registered as G-JNMA. But on 24 February 2021, RM927 became G-SXIV when the new French owner W Air Collection bought it. For the final stages of the restoration the machine was trucked to Air Leasing Ltd, Sywell.
Unlike several recent ‘restorations’, almost completely new machines built around an original dataplate, RM927 is said to be 85% original! It is finished in its historically correct colour scheme of ‘X’ flown by No. 430 Sqdn, RAF.
https://www.scramble.nl/military-news/a-second-spitfire-for-france
Main photo- Ultimate Warbird Flights
By: Zac Yates - 18th July 2022 at 03:57
“Thanks for the picture Zac! Shows the split tab very well, and the broader rudder.” – it was my first time seeing a Griffon Spit* in person and the tab caught my eye, so I figured I’d snap it! Here she is in profile an hour or so later:
nh799-omaka-zy-01_zpsfc0uzjfn_35514325122_o by Zac Yates, on Flickr
*well…a complete one, anyway! My previous encounter with NH799 was at Avspecs in March 2011:
Spitfire Mk.XIV NH799 Ardmore 270311 Zac Yates by Zac Yates, on Flickr
By: WJ244 - 15th July 2022 at 11:54
Good to see this one restored. I remember the fuselage arriving at Southend on the back of lorry with various other Spitfire sections in the late60’s / early 70’s when Bill Francis owned it. The lorry was unloaded outside Ladi Marmol’s hangar and apparently the sections were kept outside under a tarpaulin until Bill sold them on again.
By: Bradburger - 14th July 2022 at 20:06
Thanks for the picture Zac!
Shows the split tab very well, and the broader rudder.
I note the Belgian Air Force fitted this rudder to some of their WWII high back XIV’s post war, so it’s not incorrect for a XIV of that period.
Interestingly, the flight test report by written by ‘Indicator’ for Flight Magazine and published in August 1945, notes that the standard MK.XIV rudder with trim tab/automatic servo tab made the rudder very sensitive, and care had to be taken when applying rudder inputs. As this version was a high back, one can see why they introduced the split anti servo (anti balance tab) and larger chord rudder on the XVIII and cut back fuselage XIVs, due to the loss of directional stability, much like they did later on with the P-51D, as well as the fin fillet.
Cheers
Paul
By: Zac Yates - 14th July 2022 at 06:05
NH799 has the broad chord rudder with split-type tab:
40e7fd36-9c52-4968-b327-90f370869031_zpstrcgd04g_35296207660_o by Zac Yates, on Flickr
By: Bradburger - 11th July 2022 at 14:29
I was under the impression all production Mk XIVs had broad cord rudders, with a balance tab, not an anti-balance tab. (Source: AP. 1565T, Vol. 1).
Apologies for the confusion. I was referring to the post war modification 1672, introduced on the cut back rear fuselage XIVs and the MK.XVIII, to aid with the loss directional stability from the reduced rear fuselage area.
If you look at RM927 (and SM832) they have this type of rudder fitted, which is broader and has a bigger horn balance (the top ‘plug’ of the fin is therefore removed) than the original MK.XIV/XVIII rudder, plus has a different design of trimtab (split) which acts as an anti balance tab to stop excessive yaw angles at high speeds.
RN201 has the original rudder with balance tab fitted, as does TZ138 which has a cut back rear fuselage.
Cheers
Paul
By: Jaguar34 - 11th July 2022 at 12:24
I was under the impression all production Mk XIVs had broad cord rudders, with a balance tab, not an anti-balance tab. (Source: AP. 1565T, Vol. 1).
By: adrian_gray - 6th July 2022 at 23:28
Highly amused by the Raleigh Chopper behind the fuselage in the first pic!
By: Bradburger - 6th July 2022 at 23:25
Great news!
Nice to see it has the 10.25 inch wheels have been fitted instead of the usual 12 inch type that restored MKXIVs usually have.
Interesting though, that they’ve gone with the post war broad chord rudder with anti-balance tab, instead of the earlier type as would have been fitted originally.
(Interestingly, SM832 also used this type of rudder as well!)
Cheers
Paul
Sign In
July 6, 2022 at 10:04 pm