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SPITFIRE/P7973

P7973 is seen here in storage at RAAF Fairburn.
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Serial #: P7973
Construction #:
  CBAF 492
Civil Registration:
  None
   Model:
  Spitfire Mk.IIa
Name: None
Status: Display
Last info: 2013
History:
Ordered as part of contract B981687/39, April 12, 1938.
Built by Supermarine Aviation at the Castle Bromwich facility, Birmingham
- Merlin XII fitted.
- First flight, Jan. 1941.
Delivered to Royal Air Force as P7973, 1941
- TOC, 24 MU, RAF Ternhill, Jan. 19, 1941.
- 6 MU, RAF Brize Norton, February 4, 1941.
- 10 MU, RAF Hullavington, March 1, 1941.
- 222 Sqn, RAF Coltishall, April 1941.
- 452 (RAAF) Sqn, RAF Kirton-in-Lindsey, May 1941.
- Coded UD-N.
- Flown by Sqn Ldr Keith ‘Bluey’ Truscott.
- Sqn moved to RAF Kenley, July 21, 1941.
- Cat E, force-landing, Predannack, due to hitting obstacle in sweep over France, September 28, 1941.
- 313 (Czech) Sqn, February 1945.
- Coded RY-H.
- 39 MU, RAF Colerne. Stored.
- 57 OTU, RAF Eshott, May 1942.
- 33 MU, RAF Lyneham, September 1942.
- 61 OTU, RAF Redhill, October 1942.
- 33 MU, RAF Lyneham, Nov, 1943.
- RAF Central Gunnery School, RAF Catfoss, April 1944.
- Coded R-H.
- 47 MU, RAF Sealand, for packing. May 12, 1944.
- Shipped from Liverpool aboard ‘SS Fort Adelaide’ to Australia, March 1945.
-- Sent as a gift of the British Government.
- Arrived Melbourne, Victoria, July 17, 1945.
Transferred to Royal Australian Air Force, 1945
- Into storage with RAAF, July 1945.
- Canberra, Aug. 1945.
- Aircraft Depot, Aug. 1945.
- No.2 TMD. Reported in open storage, RAAF Canberra. October 5, 1949.
- Held for Australian War Memorial, Canberra. Nov. 15, 1949.
Australian War Memorial, Canberra, ACT, Australia, March 1950-2013.
- Taken on charge, March 1950.
- Displayed as ‘P7973 / R-H’.
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.
Goodall, Geoff - Warbirds Directory-6th Edition, 2013.
 Photo Source(s):
Unknown via John Parker.
Alan Sheckenbach.
Research Assistance:
John Sanderson
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