This Spitfire aircraft (its registration number is N280TP and its design number is 6S/676372) was built for the RAF in 1945 and flown as RAF/TP280/Z with the 9th squadron. After being delivered to the Indian Air Force on 31 December 1947 it was listed as HS654.
The Mk XVIII was a refinement of the Mk XIV. It was identical in most respects including engine (the Griffon 65) and cockpit enhancements, but it carried extra fuel and had a revised, stronger wing structure. Its handling was also nearly identical and so it was not put through any performance tests. Like the Mk XIV there were fighter and fighter reconnaissance variants built. About 300 aircrafts of the Mk XVIII aircraft series were built and partially delivered to the RAF in the Middle East and in Asia or, as for example in this case, sold to the Indian Air Force.
This Spitfire aircraft, retrieved from India in the 1970s, was returned to England for its technical restoration. After being restored its second maiden flight took place in 1992 and the aircraft was sold to a new owner from the USA. Since 2015 is aircraft is based in Germany.
Technical Information (Usedom Aircraftsales):
- First flight: 1945
- Manufakturer: Supermarine Aviation Works
- Engine: Rolls Royce Griffon 65 12-Cylinder-V-Engine
- Power: 2.050 HPTitel length: 9,95 m
- Wingspan: 11,23 m
- Total height: 3,89 m
- Empty weight: 3.034 kg
- Max. takeoff weight: 3.889 kg
- Max. speed: 722 km/h
- Service ceiling: 13.259 mMax.
- Range: 1.375 km
- Role: Fighter aircraft
- Crew: 1
- Hours SMOH: 173:33
- Hours on Engine: 173:33 - 0 Hour Engine available! - (Overhauled by Vintage V12 in 2016)
- Hours on Prop: 24:26
History (Warbirds Resource Group):
- Delivered to Royal Air Force as TP280, 19??.
- Delivered to Indian AF as HS654, December 31, 1947.
- Ormond & Wensley Haydon-Baillie, Duxford, UK, 1977.
- Hulk recovered from Kalaikunda AB, India.
- Rudolph A. Frasca/Antiques & Classics Inc, Champaign, IL, 1979-1994.
- Rebuilt to airworthy at Champaign, IL & Audley End, UK.
- Historic Flying Ltd, Audley End, October 23, 1991.
- Registered as G-BTXE.
- First flight, July 5, 1992.
- Shipped to US after restoration complete, September 1992.
- Rudy Frasca/Frasca International Inc, Urbana, IL, February 2, 1993-2015.
- Registered as N280TP.
- Flown as RAF/TP280/Z.
Contact with the seller for more information!. Cost: 3,500,000.00 € - 3,904,600.00 $ - 2,711,450.00 £ (daily exchange rate)
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