Supermarine Spitfire Tr.9 ML407

ML407/G-LFIX

Serial #: ML407

Construction #: CBAF.8463

Civil Registration: #G-LFIX'

Model(s): LF Mk. IX ',TR Mk. 9'

Name: The Grace Spitfire

Status: Airworthy

Last info: 2002

History: Vickers Armstrongs Ltd, Eastleigh.

History

Single Seat

• Early 1944.
  • ML407 Built at Castle Bromwich as a single seat fighter, serving in the front line of battle throughout the last twelve months of WWII, with six different Squadrons of the RAF's 2nd Tactical Air Force, flying 176 operational combat sorties.
• 29th of April 1944.
  • ML407 Delivered to 485 New Zealand Squadron by Jackie Moggridge, one of the top lady pilots of the ATA, where it became the 'mount' of Flying Officer Johnnie Houlton DFC.
• 6th June 1944.
  • Whilst flying ML407, Flying Officer Houlton is accredited with the first enemy aircraft shot down over the Normandy beach head.
• December of 1944.
  • ML407 transferred to 341 Free French Squadron, becoming the aircraft of Sergeant Jean Dabos.
• 1945
  • ML407 moved on through 308 (Polish ) Squadron, 349 (Belgian) Squadron, 345 (Free French) Squadron, 332 (Norwegian) Squadron, and back to 485 (New Zealand) Squadron.

Two Seat

• July 19, 1950-1951.
  • Converted to TR Mk. 9 at Hrusley Park.
• July 24, 1951.
  • First flight, Eastleigh,
• July 30th 1951
  • Delivered to Irish Air Corps as 162.
• July 8th 1960
  • Last operational flight.
• 1962-1968.
  • Instructional airframe, stored Disassembled, Baldonnel AB,
• 1968-1970.
  • N. A. W. Samuelson/Samuelson Films, Cricklewood, London, Mar.
• Apr. 23, 1970-1979.
  • Stored disassembled. Sir W. J. D. Roberts, Shoreham (later Strathallan Collection) Scotland, -
• Aug. 9, 1979.
  • Stored disassembled. E. Nick Grace, St. Merryn, Cornwall,
• Feb. 1, 1980-1985.
  • E. Nick Grace/Island Trading Ltd., St. Merryn,
  • Registered as G-LFIX. -
  • Rebuilt to airworthiness,
• Apr. 16, 1985. First flight St. Merryn.
  • Nick Grace & Chris Horsely, Middle Wallop, 1985-1989. -
• Mar. 5, 1986.
  • Crash landed, South End. - Repaired. Caroline S. Grace, Winchester/Duxford, May 26, 1989-2002. - Flown as ML407/OU-V Aon (starboard) & NL-D(port) -
  • Minor Damage from taxying accident, Duxford, (repaired, Mar. 31, 2000).

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