Dates |
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Event |
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Constructed as a Spitfire F.Vb. |
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Taken on Strength/Charge with the Royal Air Force with s/n BL628. |
15 March 1942 |
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Transferred to 37 MU. |
1 April 1942 |
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Transferred to 401 Squadron. |
5 August 1942 |
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Transferred to 308 Squadron. |
12 August 1942 |
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Transferred to 167 Squadron. |
14 October 1942 |
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Transferred to 610 Squadron. |
By 10 January 1944 |
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Transferred to 710 Squadron.
On strength at St Merryn for air firing training. |
16 January 1944 |
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Transferred to RNDA.
Tail hook installed. |
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Taken on Strength/Charge with the Royal Navy with s/n BL628.
Delivered to the navy with a tailhook. |
30 January 1944 |
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Transferred to Belfast. |
1944 |
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Crashed.
Crashed near Saint Merryn, Cornwall. |
From 1977 to By 1996 |
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To Peter Croser Michael Aitchison, Melbourne, VIC. |
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Recovered.
Forward fuselage hulk found on farm near Saint Merryn, Cornwall. |
1978 |
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Transported by ship.
Moved to Australia. |
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Restoration started.
Work underway at Melbourne and Adelaide using wings, rear fuselage and parts from UK scrapyards. |
From 1988 to By 1995 |
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Transported by ship.
Fuselage moved to the UK for an airworthy restoration. |
13 August 1991 |
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To David Joseph, Taylor John, Aerofab Restorations, Bourne Park Estate, Hurstbourne Tarrant, Andover with new c/r G-BTTN. |
12 April 1995 |
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Transported by ship.
Returned to Australia. |
From 8 June 1995 to By 2006 |
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To P. Croser and M. Aitchison, Melbourne, VIC with new c/r VH-FVB. |
June 1995 |
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Civil registration, G-BTTN, cancelled. |
8 June 1995 |
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To Peter Croser, Murrumbateman, NSW keeping c/r VH-FVB. |
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Markings Applied: Marion, YO D, BL628
Fuselage completed. |
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The wing assemblies were constructed Isle of Wight UK. |
From By 2002 to By 2007 |
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Restoration continued.
Work continued at Melbourne and Aukland-Ardmore, NZ. |
14 February 2006 |
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To Peter Croser, Hawthorn, SA keeping c/r VH-FVB. |
March 2006 |
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Based at Murrieta, CA.
 View the Location Dossier |
28 September 2007 |
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First post-restoration Flight.
Flown at Ardmore. |
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Further test flights in New Zealand. |
October 2007 |
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Transported by ship.
Moved to the USA. |
October 2007 |
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To Lewis Aeronautical Llc, San Antonio, TX. |
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Reassembled.
Reassembled in Murrieta, CA. |
15 January 2008 |
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Certificate of airworthiness for NX628BL (SPITFIRE VB, CBAF1660) issued. |
February 2008 |
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First post-reassembly Flight.
Predelivery check flights. |
15 February 2008 |
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To Lewis Aeronautical Llc, San Antonio, TX with new c/r N628BL. |
5 April 2008 |
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Ferry flight.
Moved from Chino to Texas. |
August 2008 |
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Photographer: David Miller
Notes: After restoration, displayed at Oshkosh in 2008 |
8 November 2010 |
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To Lewis Vintage Collection Llc, San Antonio, TX keeping c/r N628BL. |
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Based at Lewis Air Legends/Rod Lewis, Lewis Ranch Airport, San Antonio, TX.
View the Location Dossier |
9 December 2023 |
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To Spitfire Ventures Llc, San Antonio, TX keeping c/r N628BL. |
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 | | This airframe dossier is based on
unreviewed imported data.
If you can verify the documented history or add to it with additional text and/or photos please feel free to do so by using the upload tool and the history editor. |
