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Vickers-Armstrong Spitfire PRmkXIX PS915 entered service shortly after the war in Europe was declared over. She joined 541 Squadron at Benson in June 1945 but the stay was brief and shortly after was reallocated to the PR Development Unit to take part in tests of new camera installations.
In 1949 she was assigned to II(AC) Sqn based at Wunsdorf in Germany and flew strategic reconnaissance sorties in connection with the East/West divide of Europe. In 1951 she was returned to the UK firstly to 9 MU at RAF Cosford before moving on to the THUM Flight at Woodvale in 1954.
In 1957, PS915 became a founder member of the Historic Aircraft Flight, the forerunner of the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight (BBMF), but she wasn't to remain serving this role for long and was quickly retired to gate-guardian duties. She served in that capacity for nearly 30 years at RAF West Malling, RAF Leuchars and RAF Brawdy. She re-joined the BBMF in 1987 after being modified to take an ex-Shackleton Griffon 58 engine and refurbished to flying condition by British Aerospace (Warton Division).
In the service of the BBMF PS915 has been repainted in various schemes and currently wears the colours and markings of PS888, a PRXIX of 81 Squadron based at Seletar in Singapore during the Malaya Campaign. This aircraft conducted the last ever operational sortie by an RAF Spitfire when, on 1 April 1954, it flew a photographic mission over an area of jungle in Johore thought to contain hideouts for Communist guerrillas. For the occasion the aircraft’s ground crew painted the inscription ‘The Last!’ on the left side of the nose cowling.
However, regardless of what colours you may see this thoroughbred displaying be assured that beneath the "make-up" that this is one of our own. Here are a few pictures of "Our" Spitfire.(Credit to MoD Copyright)
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