PL965 - Supermarine Spitfire PR XI, Old Warden 2008 ©Nigel Key
AB910 |
AR213 |
BM597 |
EP120 |
MH434 |
MK356 |
P7350 |
P9374 |
PL965 |
PM631 |
PS853 |
PS915 |
TA805 |
TD248 |
TE311 |
X4650
Supermarine Spitfire PL965 was built at Aldermaston in 1944 and allocated to 9 Maintenance Unit on the 1st of October 1944.
PL965 was then issued to 16 Squadron, based at Melsbroek Airfield in Belgium from the summer of 1944 to March 1945 wearing the identification code ‘R’ for Robert. During this time she flew in over 40 operational missions over Germany, France and Holland.
At the end of the war, PL965 briefly returned to the UK but then went to Buckeberg in Germany serving with 2nd TAF Communications Wing.
PL965 was then retired from service and sold to Royal Netherlands Air Force School of Technical Training, Deelen on July 27th 1947.
Displayed at base and then moved to the Dutch National War Museum, Overloon on November 1960 where she remained until 1987.
PL965 returned to the UK, bought by Nick Grace and Chris Horsely in 1987 for preservation by Medway Aircraft Preservation Society, Rochester.
Registered G-MKXI, it had its first flight on December 23rd 1992 and was transferred to Duxford on February 1st 1993 for operation by Old Flying Machine Company (OFMC) although it remained grounded for several months for further work.
Sold to the Real Aeroplane Co. in March 1997.
In September 2004 PL 965 made the move from her old home at Breighton in Yorkshire, to North Weald in Essex and now proudly forms part of the Hangar 11 collection.
PL965 returned to flight on 26th November 2010 after 15 months on the ground while having her original 1945 Merlin 70 engine re-installed.
| SPECIFICATION (PR XI) |
| Length - 31ft 3in (9.5m) |
| Wingspan - 36ft 10in (11.23m) |
| Height - 11ft 6.63in (3.52m) |
| Engine - Rolls Royce Merlin 70 |
| Power - 1,710 Hp |
| Max. Speed - 417 mph (671 km/h) |
| Range - 565 mile (909 km) |
AB910 |
AR213 |
BM597 |
EP120 |
MH434 |
MK356 |
P7350 |
P9374 |
PL965 |
PM631 |
PS853 |
PS915 |
TA805 |
TD248 |
TE311 |
X4650
PL965 
