Rapidly growing collection Historic Flight at Kilo-6 in Seattle, Washington recently uncrated Supermarine Spitfire LF.Mk. IXe SL633, rebuilt for them in the UK, and just had the engine runs and test flights in planning as we go to press.
Among the last batch of Spitfires produced at Castle Bromwich Factory, SL633 was re-assigned to the Czechoslovakian Air Force with the code DU-K and flown to Plana, Czechoslovakia. In 1946, it was coded JT-10, reflecting the 4th Air Regiment and aircraft number. A 1948 communist coup d’état ended the flow of supplies for Spitfires and dismantled the Czech Air Force.
However, Czechoslovakia had promised to supply Israel with military arms that would help the young country in its fight to exist. One of a set travelling to Israel, the plane crossed the Czech border in parts packed in a box, where it lay for more than a year.
After being completely overhauled and modified for fighter reconnaissance, the plane received the Israeli code 20-42, and it flew for the Israelis until a 1954 belly landing.
After repair by Bedeck Aviation, it was then transferred to the Burmese Air Force, and was one of a handful of Spitfires exported to Burma that survived. In 1995, Spitfire authority Peter Arnold rediscovered the plane in Burma, and it was recovered and went to Historic Flying at Duxford in the UK, where the Harvard tail was removed and the aircraft restored to immaculate, airworthy condition, wearing its original Czech colours as the designated plane for Flight Lieutenant Karel Posta, who flew the plane in aerobatics witnessed by more than 100,000 spectators.
Spitfire JT-10 also flew training programmes and went with Karel in 1947 when he took command of a new, exclusive Fighter Training Centre in Plana.
First engine runs in the US, with Historic Flying crew of Duxford UK in support. (Al Sauer)
