Wings

Spitfire MK912 was ordered on 28 May 1942 from Vickers as part of a mixed batch of Mk V and Mk IX aircraft. It was built at the Castle Bromwich “Shadow” factory in Birmingham early in 1944 as part of batch MK881-926 and fitted with a Merlin 66 engine as an L.F.IXC Spitfire. MK912 was delivered to the RAF at No.8 M.U. Little Rissington, Gloucestershire, in late March 1944, staying there until May, when it was issued to No. 84 Group Support Unit at RAF Aston Down.

Shortly after “D-Day” MK912 was issued to No. 312 (Czech) Squadron, which at that time was located at Appledram and Tangmere in Sussex. The aircraft did not stay with the Czechs for long, for it was back at 84 G.S.U. Aston Down later in June, before going to Air Service Training Ltd. at Exeter for an overhaul. The fact that this overhaul was required suggests that the aircraft had some usage which is not recorded. On 18 April 1945, it was allocated to RAF Lyneham for storage at No.33 M.U. and a further overhaul took place.

MK912 stayed at Lyneham after the war was over, and in July 1946 was sold along with other Spitfires to the Royal Netherlands Air Force. Movement to No.76 M.U. at RAF Wroughton followed, and by September MK912 was with No. 47 M.U. RAF Sealand for packing.

The Dutch government had bought these Spitfires to help in fighting a terrorist confrontation in the Dutch East Indies.

The Spitfires were dispatched on SS Roti from Tilbury in May 1947 and upon arrival were initially stored at 2VB Andir in Java before being issued to No.322 Squadron of the Dutch Air Force, this unit having been specially formed in the East Indies.

MK912 initially retained its RAF identity with hastily applied Dutch markings, but it was soon to be re-serialled H-119, and later this was changed to H-59. Details of this aircraft’s service are not known in Java, but it is thought that it spent most of its time in the Far East as a reserve aircraft.

The aircraft was shipped back to Holland in 1950 and for some time was stored at Rotterdam Docks. In early 1953 the Royal Belgium Air Force had a requirement for additional Spitfires, and MK912 along with others was sold against Contract No. 211074. The aircraft were delivered from Rotterdam to Fokker at Schiphol Airport, Amsterdam, where they were all overhauled. MK912 was given the Fokker test serial B-1, and upon delivery to the Belgians it was serialled SM-29.

MK912 entered service with the Ecole de Pilotage Advance at Brustem, later passing to the Ecole de Chasse at Coxyde.

In June 1953 SM-29 had a Cat. 3 accident and was withdrawn from service with a total flying time of 685.05 hours. It was stored at Brustem Air Base and in August 1955 was Struck off Charge and delivered to the Belgian Air Force Technical School at Saffraenberg, near St. Truiden, for use as a display aircraft.

MK912 with it Merlin 66 engine still installed was repainted and erected on a concrete plinth with 350 (Belgian) Sqdn codes MN-P. The aircraft was on display for over 30 years, receiving the occasional refurbishment. It is of interest to note that at some time, perhaps while stored at Brustem, it acquired the wings of another Spitfire, SM-22.

In June 1989, the aircraft came to Guy Black, Historic Aircraft Collection as part of an exchange deal with the Belgian Air Force. It was sold to Historic Flying Limited at Audley End and registered as G-BRRA. A complete restoration was carried out at Audley End over a lengthy period, finally resulting in the aircraft’s first flight on September 8th 2000.

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Copyright © 2015 Malcolm Auld

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