SUPERMARINE SPITFIRE

X4650 - Supermarine Spitfire Mk Ia, Duxford 2013 ©Nigel Key

AB910 | AR213 | BM597 | EP120 | MH434 | MK356 | P7350 | P9374 | PL965 | PM631 | PS853 | PS915 | TA805 | TD248 | TE311 | X4650
Supermarine Spitfire X4650 was built in Castle Bromwich in 1940 and delivered to 24 Maintenance Unit on the 25th of October 1940.

X4650 was delivered to 54 Squadron at Catterick on the 14th November 1940. During a training exercise X4650, piloted by a young pilot Howard Squire collided with Alan Deere's Spitfire (X4276) over North Yorkshire.

Flight Commander Alan Deere (Battle of Britain legend from New Zealand) was giving the young pilot a lesson in how to keep close to an enemy aircraft, saying 'Stick to me like glue' when Howard Squire got too close and hit Deere's tail with his propeller at 12,000ft causing them both to ditch. Sgt Squire and Flight Commander Alan Deere were unhurt with Deere later going on to become an Air Commodore and Sgt Squire at the age of 89 visiting the later restoration of X4650.

The wreckage of the aircraft was later discovered in 1976, during the long hot summer which revealed the Spitfire due to low river levels on farmland near Kirklevington, Cleveland.

Peter Monk, who runs the Spitfire Company at Biggin Hill, oversaw restoration of the engine which was refurbished by specialists in Gloucestershire and the airframe which was restored by craftsmen on the Isle of Wight.

X4650 was bought by Texan businessman Dan Friedkin who kept on Peter Monk to supervise the restoration.

On the 10th of February 2011, X4650 was registered as G-CGUK.

The first post-restoration flight took place on 9th March 2012, flown by Paul Bonhomme.

Has been temporarily repainted for its role in the new 'Dunkirk' film and has the Squadron code 'LC' and 'R9612' on its side. Owned by Comanche Fighters in Texas but currently based in Duxford with The Fighter Collection.

SPECIFICATION (Mk Ia)

Length - 29ft 11in (9.12m)

Wingspan - 36ft 10in (11.23m)

Height - 11ft 5in (3.48m)

Engine - Rolls Royce Merlin III

Power - 1,030 Hp

Max. Speed - 363 mph (583km/h)

Range - 575 mile (925 km)

ARMAMENT

Machine Guns - 8 x 0.303" Browning

AB910 | AR213 | BM597 | EP120 | MH434 | MK356 | P7350 | P9374 | PL965 | PM631 | PS853 | PS915 | TA805 | TD248 | TE311 | X4650

	Duxford 2012		Duxford 2013		Duxford 2013

Photos copyright of ©Nigel Key

Dunkirk
Starring: Tom Hardy, Cillian Murphy.

“Dunkirk” opens as hundreds of thousands of British and Allied troops are surrounded by enemy forces. Trapped on the beach with their backs to the sea, they face an impossible situation as the enemy closes in.

Spitfire
Starring: John Ackroyd, Charles Dance, Mary Ellis, Paul Farnes, Ken 'Paddy' French.

SPITFIRE is a cinematic, epic, sweeping tale of determination, vision and courage. It is the story of an aeroplane that was forged in competition, shaped as the war clouds gathered, and refined in the white heat of combat going on to become the most famous fighter plane ever made. Credited with changing the course of world history, this is the story of the Spitfire told personally in the words of the last-surviving combat veterans.

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