Mystery Dated Supermarine Label

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Member for

11 years 9 months

Posts: 599

Hello all,

Hoping someone will be able to shed some light on a little mystery, have a metal label from a Spitfire tail unit, stamped 30018 sht21 and with issue number 7 which was dated 1944, however the mystery is the date: 17th July 1951, was Supermarine still repairing them at Southampton in this year?
Many thanks for any assistance.

Regards

Jason

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Member for

11 years 9 months

Posts: 599

BUMP

Hoping Mark12 or Edgar Brookes can help :eagerness:

Member for

15 years 4 months

Posts: 59

I don't think you should read too much into Supermarine Works Southampton. I would be looking at the Eastleigh factory as a source of origin and a possible link to the Irish Air Corps Tr.9 conversions. The date would fit with some of these Tr.9 conversions and deliveries taking place in 1951.

Ollie

Member for

11 years 9 months

Posts: 599

Ollie1,

Thank you for solving the mystery, your right, I was only concentrating on the Original Southampton works and forgot about the Eastleigh works at the airport, your explanation about the T9 airframe conversions etc certainly makes sense as the large"R" could stand for repair on the tail unit.
More reading of the Spitfire the history and spitfire survivors may shed more light.
Again thank you.

Regards

Jason

Member for

18 years 3 months

Posts: 2,025

Whilst I can't help you specifically, the attached image shows that they were still supplying spares in 1951; either that or Graham Adlam's venture has been going longer than I thought!

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Member for

11 years 9 months

Posts: 599

Hello Stuart,

Many thanks for sharing this, fantastic find and very lucky to have it in your collection, I have somewhere( must look harder) a parts label from the IAC dated 1959 and refers to a part from Spitfire 159, which I believe was one of the 2 seater trainers they had..wondered if it was still flying?

Spent today sorting through original spitfire parts including some still boxed with the 26AJ part number and 300 part number on the boxes, have a feeling that Mr Adlam will be after your label for his site :D

Regards

Jason