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SPITFIRE/BM597



IMAGE GALLERY
Serial #: BM597
Construction #:
  CBAF 2461
Civil Registration:
  G-MKVB
  Model:
  Spitfire Mk. Vb
Name: None
Status: Airworthy
Last info: 2002

History:
Built at Castle Bromwich.
Delivered to Royal Air Force as BM597, 194?.
- Assigned to 37 MU on May 26, 1942.
- Transferred to 315 (Polish) Sqn, May 1942.
- Transferred to 317 (Polish) Sqn., September 1942.
-- Assigned code JH-C.
-- Damaged in landing accident.
-- Declared Catagory B on February 13, 1943.
- Delivered to de Havilland for repairs.
- Delivered to Vickers Armstrong for modification.
- Assigned to 58 OTU, April 1945.
-- Passed through 33, 39 and 222 MU before delivery.
RAF St. Athan, October 1945.
- Designated instructional airframe, code 5718M.
RAF Hednesford, 1952-1954
- Gate guard with Spitfire AR614.
RAF Bridgnorth, 1960-1962.
- Gate guard.
RAF Church Fenton, 1966-1975.
- Gate guard.
RAF Henlow, 1967-1968.
- Used as static airframe in movie Battle of Britain , 1968.
- Used as master model for fibre glass replicas for movie Battle of Britain.
RAF Church Fenton, September 1969-1988.
- Gate guard.
- Loaned to RAF Linton-on-Ouse as gate guard, 1975-1979.
Tim Routsis/Historic Flying Ltd., Cambridge, UK, June 1988.
Tim Routsis/Historic Flying Ltd., Audley End, UK, May 2, 1989-2002
- Registered as G-MKVB.
- Rebuild to fly, Audley End, UK., 1992.
- Rebuild finished by Historic Aircraft Collection, Jersey, UK, October 1993
- First flight July 18, 1997.
- Used in movie Pearl Harbor as AR352, 2000.
- Loaned to Imperial War Museum, Duxford, 2000-2002.
- Flown as BM597/JH-C.

Source(s):
Chapman, John & Goodall, Geoff, Edited by Paul Coggan - Warbirds Directory,Warbirds Worldwide Ltd., Mansfield, England, 1989.
Goodall, Geoff - Warbirds Directory-4th Edition, 2003.
Photo Source(s):
Dave Stewart.
Ben Rogers.
Mark McEwan.


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