SM969 sold

Forgive my ignorance: how many airworthy Mk.XVIIIs are there, worldwide?

Two, soon to be three with any luck!

SM845

Now owned by Richard Lake, and based at Humberside Airport and sometimes Duxford.

SM969

??

TP280

Recently purchased by the Hanger 10 Collection in Germany, and currently with Meier Motors being returned to airworthy condition.

I believe there maybe another project that’s a candidate for restoration to fly also, TP276.

It will of course be interesting to see who the new owner of SM969 is!

Cheers

Paul

I’m sure we’d welcome it with open arms in New Zealand :dev2:

I have no information, certainly not even a rumour or “I’ve heard/been told…” as to the identity of the new owner/s, but I agree with mustang51 and j_jza80: regardless of where it’s headed I look forward to finding out where SM969 ends up.

Forgive my ignorance: how many airworthy Mk.XVIIIs are there, worldwide?

From what I heard: the things have changed now with the CAA and this plane would be allowed to be registred in the UK. When its restoration ended in 2008, the CAA rep at this time was not happy with the fact the spar was not xrayed during the restoration. The plane was not test flown in the UK, was taken apart and sent to the US for its first flight.
But from this current owner own words (on an other forumà the problem would not occure again now if the plane will come back to the US

I’d like to see it fly after expending so many hours on it. That said, It perhaps ought to stay away from the UK, the Flypast Historic Forum naysayers will surely bemoan “yet another Spitfire” on our shores!

She was flown quite regularly by Jim Beasley.
Well looked after too.
There are far too few Spitfires in the north east part of North America. If she leaves these shores I’ll be sorry to see her go.

Andy

Here, Here j_jza80 ! Couldn’t agree more. After the Mk.XIV at Omaka wonderful to see another Griffon powered machine in the air regularly.

Hopefully her home will be somewhere where she is well cared for, and has the opportunity to regularly stun crowds at airshows. 🙂

Home to me would be country of origin, but I see what you mean Merlin70

Having thoroughly enjoyed seeing SM969 displayed at Biggin Hill circa 1994 it was very disappointing that she was subsequently lost to the public gaze for so many years. But as is often said on this Forum, it is up to owners what they choose to do with their a/c.
This airframe may possibly have travelled more miles by sea than it has in the air, but I wonder where her “Home” is having never served in the UK perhaps home is India.
Let’s all hope that wherever she is destined for, she will be enjoyed by the new owner and flown regularly.

hope it’s coming home.:)