| Aircraft | |
|---|---|
| Registration / Serial: | MA863 |
| Military Code: | HL-B |
| Aircraft Original Type: | Supermarine Spitfire |
| Aircraft Generic Type: | Supermarine Spitfire / Seafire |
| Aircraft Version: | Supermarine 349 Spitfire LF5C |
| C/n (msn): | |
| Operator Titles: | USA - Air Force |
| Location | |
|---|---|
| City / Airport: | Dayton - Wright-Patterson AFB / Wright AFBMap |
| Region / Country: | Ohio, United States |
| Airport Codes: | ICAO: KDWF IATA: - Local: DWF Other: - |
| Collection: | National Museum of the United States Air Force |
| Photo Date: | 15 December 2024 |
| Photo by: | Richard Vandervord |
| Photo ID: | 815744 |
| Photo Comment |
|---|
|
Built as Spitfire F.Vc (Trop) MA863 in mid-1943, this aircraft was shipped to the RAAF in October 1943 and entered service as A58-246. After a crash landing at Lake Tarang, Victoria in August 1945 it was relegated to ground instructional use before disposal and farm storage. Long-term restoration began in 1975, not completed till 2000 after shipment to England in 1998. In March 2000 it was flown by C-5A to Wright Patterson for the USAFM and was initially displayed in RAF camouflage as 'XR-T' of 71 Sqdn. By 2006 it had been repainted as a machine of the 308th FS, USAAF Mediterranean Theatre This photo is copyright © Richard Vandervord, and may not be used or published in any way without permission. It was added on 10 June 2025, and has since been viewed 48 times. |