AR501

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Member for

20 years 1 month

Posts: 476

Hi, could someone please tell me why The Shuttleworth Spitfire, AR501, has had her Squadron Code changed from NN 310 (Czech) Squadron to DU 312 (Czech) Squadron?
is there any foreseeable plan to change the Code back to it's original 1942/3 310 Squadron code? the NN code is significant to the Bedfordshire area as this was one of the original spitfire that escorted the US8AF 306th BG(H) on there very first mission of WWII, from their Station 111, Thurleigh, Bedfordshire in October 1942.

Original post

Member for

20 years 7 months

Posts: 315

Very unlikely. Her rebuild has just been finished and the paint is 'new'. The current colors are accurate and were wore when she was flying with 312 Sqn.

Member for

24 years 2 months

Posts: 3,415

Time for her to represent other areas of her career, after nearly 50 years as NN

Member for

24 years 2 months

Posts: 1,537

I seem to recall reading that the codes are actually vinyl ones, and therefore can be changed easily should the collection want to represent a different squadron that she served with.

But I agree with Sadsack, it's nice to represent one of the other squadrons she flew under.

And that is also the reason the collection has gone back to having clipped wings, as that how she was configured whilst with 312 Sqn.

I hope that one day the collection has the financing available to fit siamese exhausts, (and maybe even the correct cannon extension shrouds as well), which would have her looking at her most authentic for that period of her life.

Cheers

Paul

Member for

17 years

Posts: 1,037

Yes, most wanted it to fly with it’s clipped wings, to be accurate it wears the correct DU codes. If it goes back to NN, the big tips go on. The letters are indeed stick on allowing changes from one season to the next.

correct exhausts for period were considered, but with manufacturing costs starting at £25k and up, unless you want to start a collection pot and donate that amount, it’s not going to happen.

it is a charity at the end of the day, and although £25k doesn’t seem much in the grand scheme of things, consider all the aircraft, cars, buses, bikes and buildings the charity have to support and it evokes evident that it was a nice thing to have, but not at that cost

FB

Member for

20 years 1 month

Posts: 476

Seems a shame, given her connection with the 306th BG and the Bedfordshire connection. She has flown previously with clipped wings and the NN code.
Wasn't AR501 converted for low altitude performance (and thus the wing tips 'clipped') in November 1944, meaning that prior to this she carried the full wing, including during her service with 312 Squadron?

Member for

24 years 2 months

Posts: 3,415

Makes you wonder which other Spitfires have donated bits to her?