Mark12's Quiz – No.2

Now there’s a thing.

In replacing the quiz photos back in their file, I pulled a couple of close ups of the under surfaces of both wings. Visible and confirmed by my writing on the back of the print, one had a large RAF size ‘7’ and the other… wait for it – PS888.

Now PS888 was the subject of some discussion on the forum as it made the ‘The Last’ operational flight of an RAF Spitfire some 50 years ago before being sold to the Thais.

See:- http://forum.airforces.info/showthread.php?t=22782

We know that PM630 was only ever a Ground Instructional airframe with the Thais and it would seem now also a spares source.

Whether that ‘last operational’ Spitfire wing is incorporated into PM630 or PS836 would need some further investigative work. Both these airframes were collectively dismantled at Bangsue and I suspect the first rebuild got the best parts from the collective bunch. Latterly Mk XIV RM873 also yielded parts to these restorations.

Mark

It was the fact that it was upside down that threw me! If I had thought a bit harder, I would have come to the same conclusion (honest!!)

How did you know that?

It was the block things on the oleos that made me think, plus the mods to the cowling.

Ah – but submitting the photo inverted gave a clue to the hemisphere that the aircraft was in, didn’t it!

Well actually no.

Trat is still Northern Hemisphere but getting close to the Equator. Very hot and very sticky.

Mark

I bow to Mark V’s superior knowledge. Well done. How did you know that?

Ah – but submitting the photo inverted gave a clue to the hemisphere that the aircraft was in, didn’t it!

It’s that bloody weirdy Spitfire-jet thingy again! 😀 :p

Yes

PM630 at Trat in SE Thailand – 4th March 1980.

I do apologise, I seem to have submitted the photo inverted! :rolleyes: Well I had to give it a difficulty factor as PM630 had been a suggestion for the previous quiz.

The exposed fuel pump for the ‘Bowser wing’ was the give-away for it being a PR Mk XIX.

Fresh from a light picking at the PR XIX PS836 in Chiang Mai, we had ventured down to this ‘technical school’ at Trat, right on the Cambodia border, to see if the machine was up for ‘liberation’. At that time this was a fairly ‘hot’ area with lots of silly people shooting at each other and after a fruitless attempt at negotiation we beat a hasty retreat the following day.

Both Mk XIX’s were subsequently recovered by the Thai Air Force for museum purposes. My last report on PS836 shows it installed unfinished in the Thai Air Force Museum in Bangkok.

PM630 was just nearing completion of painting at Bangsue on my last visit to Thailand in March 1996 as in the attached photo. Any news that it has surfaced would be welcome.

Mark

Spitfire PR19 – PM630, Thailand?

The square sections at the base of the oleos are the remains of the supports from its outdoor display days. Not sure of exact date bur post 1980.

Mark V

Don’t keep us in suspense – go for it.

Here is a bit more just in case.

Mark

Mark 12,

Is it Spitfire VIII MV459, during restoration.

Location Ambala, India.

Septic.

I like this one. Its the real thing at least (spacer tubes in the datum longeron), upside down, curious box on the end of the oleo – can only mean…..

A bit more then.

…

At a guess a Mk19, but nothing else yet

Bruce

Oooo Sir, Please Sir, Choose me sir!!!

Errrr….

Is it one of the BBMF PR.XIX’s at Conningsby, 1990s?

Mark,

You are an evil and cruel man and deserve a spanking.

Or was that Leslie Grantham???

MH

Leslie Grantham

Eastenders

His bedroom

Ther other night?!

😀

Nah, only joking, it’s very dark on my screen, so can’t really tell 🙁

It’s an upside down Spitfire – Griffon at a guess…