Spitfire AR501 - now with wing tips!

Описание: The opening sequence shows close ups of the Shuttleworth Collection's Supermarine Spitfire LF Mk. Vc, AR501, G-AWII, in the engineering workshop on 19th February 2022 at Old Warden. This is followed by a flying display, where it has a subtle but obvious difference in appearance, during the Shuttleworth Season Premiere Airshow on 1st May 2022.
This Spitfire was built in 1942 by Westland Aircraft of Yeovil, Somerset.

By 1940 the Mark V Spitfire had been developed around a Mark II airframe, strengthened to receive the latest Rolls-Royce Merlin 45 and 46 engines. More were produced than any other variant of the Spitfire.

The Mark V was designed to improve the flying characteristics of the Mark II. Some were designed for ground attack with bombs, machine guns and cannon, and some with all cannon armament.

The Mk. Vc had a 'universal wing' enabling it to be armed with three different sets of armaments. The Mk. Vc served mainly in overseas theatres, especially in the Middle East. First production models were delivered in late 1941.

This aircraft was built as an F. Mk. Vc - a general altitude fighter. It had the universal armament wing and a Rolls Royce Merlin 46 engine, developing a maximum of 1415 horsepower, with an altitude rating of 19000 feet.
Initially going to RAF 8 Maintenance Unit (MU) at Little Rissington (22/6/42), it then went to 6 MU Brize Norton (7/7/42) before issue to 310 (Czechoslovak) Squadron at Exeter (19/7/42).
On 15/3/43 AR501 was severely damaged on the ground at RAF Exeter, when a Mosquito collided with her. Repairs to AR501 were completed off site at 67 MU, Taunton and Westlands at Yeovil.
It then went to 33 MU, Lyneham (17/7/43) and 3501 Servicing Unit, Cranfield (6/8/43) before issue to 504 (City of Nottingham) Squadron at Church Stanton (Culmhead), Somerset (18/8/43).
AR501 then went to 312 (Czechoslovak) Squadron (10/10/43). The squadron was engaged on bomber escort duties protecting raids across the English Channel against V-1 rocket launch sites.

In post war years it became an instructional airframe at Loughborough College and was acquired by the Shuttleworth Collection in 1961 and was displayed for many years in the clipped wing configuration wearing the 1942-43 livery of No.310 (Czechoslovak) Squadron.

Returned to flight for the Battle of Britain film, a major overhaul was then carried out in the early 1970s. She was airworthy from 1977-2005, then removed from service for another overhaul.

In mid 2000 the elliptical wingtips were refitted when the aircraft took part in the filming of the movie 'Pearl Harbor'.

Between 2005 and 2018 a complete strip down and rebuild to original specification was completed.

Today, Spitfire AR501, appears in the livery that it wore when serving with 312 (Czechoslovak) Squadron in 1943.

Since 19th February AR501 has lost it's clipped wings and had its wing tips and elliptical wing restored.



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