The Supermarine Spitfire FR Mk XIV RM927 will be presented at the 2024 air show

RM927

RAF period

Built under contract No. 1877/C23, it left the Eastleigh factory in November 1944 with serial number 6S-381758. Equipped with Griffon 65, No. 5942 / 590491, it first joined No. 30 Maintenance Unit at RAF Sealand, ferried by Mary Ellis, an ATA (Air Transport Auxiliary) pilot. The ATA was a civilian organization whose pilots ferried newly built aircraft to maintenance units and included no fewer than 168 women. On November 30, the plane was ferried again by Mary Ellis to No. 39 Maintenance Unit at Colerne, where it was declared fit for service. In early 1945, the aircraft was transferred to No. 83 General Service Unit of the 2nd Tactical Air Force at RAF Westhampnett (now known as Goodwood). Shortly before its operational assignment, it was modified by a Forward Repair Unit (FRU) for photographic reconnaissance missions. This field conversion involved reconfiguring the radio compartment to direct an oblique camera either to the left or right. Externally, a streamlined blister on each side distinguished the model. At the end of the month, this Spitfire was finally assigned to Squadron 430 (City of Sudbury) of the Royal Canadian Air Force stationed at ALG (Advanced Landing Ground) B78 in Eindhoven, Netherlands. Although the aircraft of this unit usually bore the codes G9, only the individual letter X was reported on RM927's fuselage. Note that this Squadron is one of the few Spitfire units with Griffon engines engaged on the European front in ground attack and low-altitude photo reconnaissance missions. From this base in the Netherlands, this Spitfire began participating in various missions from January 29, 1945, until the group's relocation on March 7 to ALG B90 in Kleine Brogel, Belgium. Two days later, while the aircraft participated in low-altitude armed reconnaissance in the IJssel River area under the protection of Spitfire XIV RM876 of S/L Bricker and RM817 of F/L Perkins, RM927 was damaged by Flak just behind the cockpit. Its pilot, Flight Lieutenant Stevens, managed to bring the plane back, initially recovered by No. 409 Repair and Salvage Unit. Unfortunately, the damage was so significant (Cat B) that it could not be repaired on site, so it was sent back to the UK on May 4 for overhaul by Air Service Training at Hamble, a process completed only on September 18, 1945. After the war, it joined the 29 Maintenance Unit at High Ercall on November 1, 1945, where it was stored.

Belgium

In October 1946, the young Belgian Air Force initiated a re-equipment program, and Spitfires, available in large quantities, were chosen as future fighter and fighter-bomber aircraft. This choice was dictated by two simple reasons: most Belgian pilots had served in the RAF in Spitfire squadrons, and the unit price was not excessive. An initial order was placed for 102 Spitfire XIVs, and deliveries began in April 1947. The Spitfires received Belgian serials SG-1 to SG-102 (SG for Spitfire Griffon). On November 14, 1947, S/Lt Aviator Yves Bodart went to High Ercall to receive and ferry RM927, future SG-25. After stops at Manston and Evere, he reached his final destination, Florennes Air Base, on November 17. This base, created by the Germans in 1942, then occupied by the Americans, was finally taken over by the Belgians, with command entrusted to Major Aviator Lallemand (DFC and ace with six confirmed air combat victories).

). On site, RM927 was assigned to the 351st Squadron of the 161st Wing of Florennes, which soon became the 1st Squadron of the 2nd Wing, with the emblem of the 'Thistle.' It bore the codes '3R' corresponding to the 1st Squadron and the individual letter 'D.' In February 1949, this Spitfire was transferred to the Fighter School at Coxyde, specializing in training young pilots in combat. The school it left on July 28, 1949, for a 'Major inspection.' After the work was completed, it returned to Florennes on April 21, 1950, joining the newly created 3rd Squadron (Holly Leaf) with the codes 'YL-?'. On May 11, 1950, while the SG-25 was taxiing with Sgt Victor Depauw on board, the aircraft's wingtip struck the propeller of SG-60, which was parked near a hangar, causing no injuries. Repaired, RM927 returned to the 1^st Squadron of the 2^TH where it received the codes '3R-A.' However, four days later, the aircraft veered off the runway at Coxyde following a tire blowout during landing. The left wing and undercarriage were damaged, but Major Léon Vandercruyssen was unharmed. This Spitfire was subsequently transferred to the Wevelgem (Courtrai) Arsenal on August 29, 1951, then to the Fairey factories in Gosselies on June 17, 1952. Finally, it rejoined the Fighter School at Coxyde on May 11, 1954, with the codes 'IQ-W,' where it was permanently decommissioned on September 21, 1954. The airframe had accumulated only 629.05 flight hours. (Struck Off Charge)

Sold in 1957 to Oscar Dewachter & Zoon, a scrapyard in Ostend, RM927 was displayed with its wings cut alongside Spitfire Mk XIV NH904 (which still exists today) and left exposed to the elements. In 1967, it was bought by Dennis Kay and his company Manchester Tankers Ltd, who transported it by road to the UK. RM927 changed owners twice before finally being acquired in 1969 by Americans John Lowe & Larry Matt of Riverside, Illinois. Displayed at the Victory Air Museum until 1981, RM927 was passed to Lawrence Matt of Chicago, who began its restoration and recovered a pair of wings from Spitfire XVIII HS649/TP263 found in India. Acquired by Don Knapp in 1987, RM927 was sold again in 1990 to Vern Schuppan, who shipped it to the UK for restoration. After a long period of storage at High Wycombe, English collector Paul Andrews became its new owner in 2005.

On May 12, 2005, RM927's fuselage was transferred to the Spitfire specialists Airframe Assemblies, where the restoration was completed in February 2009. Registered G-JNMA on the UK civil register on March 30, 2009, RM927 was again stored and then transferred by road in November 2015 to Biggin Hill Heritage Hangar. Stored again, RM927 was finally acquired by the French collection W Air Collection at the end of 2020. After a brief passage through France, the Spitfire Mk XIV arrived in early 2021 at Richard Grace's workshops in Sywell and changed registration to G-SXIV.

From this date, the restoration work progressed rapidly. The Griffon 65 engine was restored by Mike Nixon and his company Vintage V-12, a new propeller was built by Skycraft, the wings were completed at Sywell, and the colors were applied by the English specialist Steve Atkin and his company Warbird Colour. These accurately reproduce the colors RM927 bore during its service with No. 430 Squadron in early 1945. Concerning the restoration, it is said that 85% of the original parts were preserved.

The new first flight after restoration took place on July 5, 2022, at Sywell with Richard Grace at the controls, then the aircraft joined its new base, La Ferté-Alais, 40 km (25 miles) south of Paris, on August 5, 2022.

Responding to the invitation of the commander of Florennes Base and the friendly team of the museum that preserves the Spitfire FR XIV RM921/SG-57, RM927 made its first official outing on May 11, 2023, returning to the first Belgian base it had arrived at 76 years earlier. An emotional moment, with the presence of Jacques Bodart, the son of Yves Bodart, who ferried the Spitfire in 1947.

Since then, RM927 has joined La Ferté-Alais, where it can regularly be seen flying in the Parisian sky, delighting French admirers of this formidable aircraft.