The description on the photo linked above by Consul states “This is only one of two Spitfire Mk V still in existence. This one is New Zealand registered and is currently in Kemble for restoration.”

Ignoring the fact that there are actually plenty of Mk V Spitfires around, what do they mean by it being New Zealand registered? It’s not on the NZ CAA register. Is this owned by a kiwi?

This aircraft looks to me like a pile of junk in a bad paint job, but considering how rare and valuable that Fairey Barracuda prop must be, it’s extremely frustrating to see such thoughtlessness in today’s world where someone has simply hacked at it with a saw. Why on earth did they not simply disassemble the spinner assembly and take the propellor off the aircraft to pack it alongside in the container rather than destroy it? Did they saw the wings off too becuase they didn’t fit??

They pretty much worked out that it wasn’t a viable weapon, but it’s always worth trying out theories, isn’t it?

Waiting confirmation from a non-journo (a serious historian with known reputation) that the files actually exist before believing a single word.

It’s absolutely true Bager, and the files were released to the public by the New Zealand Government way back in 1999. This is a very old news story. Still interesting though.

Welcome to the forum Michael. Very interesting stuff. I wonder which Britstol engine types they trialed on this airframe.

I have to ask Dave, how do you know the smallest details about the recovery like that, from eyewitnesses or documented etc?

I am writing a series of books on the various General Reconnaissance and Bomber Reconnaissance Squadrons of the RNZAF (1937-45). One of them is the Wellington (Territorial) Squadron which was the first GR squadron in the RNZAF. When I started this project way back in 2004 I was very lucky to be able to speak with several veterans who joined the squadron in 1938, one even joined in 1937. I also have collected a number of priate memoirs and diaries for this project, and one good one covers the Wellington (T) Sqn too. So there are always eyewitness stories to the bigger evnts that happened.

Of course I have also speant a fair bit of time in the National Archives, and at the Air Force Museum of New Zealand, and other libraries and I’ve trawled through old newspapers both online and for real, and pieced it all together. There are very few squadron records for the early days, they didn’t start properly till about 1940 (or at least if they were kept earlier they’ve been lost). But I feel confident I have as good a record of these early squadrons as anyone is going to get now. I just have to finish off the details and get them published. I used to think no-one even knew what Baffins were apart from me and some old guys, but this restoration will bring it back to the public psyche, like Don and Steve’s lovely Vincent has for that type.

The loss of NZ153 at Island Bay is interesting in that Doggie White got the aircraft down gently into Cook Strait, he stepped into a fishing boat that came to his aid and he never even got wet. His aircrfat was floating perfectly and all seemed ok. Then the Army showed up, stuck a rope around it and hauled it in. In doing so they completely f*cked the airframe. When the RNZAF engineers arrived they were not best pleased with the Army!