Warplanes of the UK: Supermarine Spitfire Mk. Ia, Mk. IIa, Mk. IIb and Mk. IV

Supermarine Spitfire Mk. Ia to Mk. IXe

The aim of this web page is to locate, identify and document Supermarine Spitfires preserved in the United Kingdom.  Many contributors have assisted in the hunt for these aircraft to provide and update the data on this website.  Photos are by the author unless otherwise credited.  Any errors found here are by the author, and any additions, corrections or amendments to this list of Warplane Survivors of the Second World War in the United Kingdom would be most welcome and may be e-mailed to the author at hskaarup@rogers.com.

(IWM Photo)

Supermarine Spitfire F Mk. 1 (Serial No. K5054) over the Supermarine works in Southampton, UK.

Supermarine Spitfires preserved in the United Kingdom by aircraft type, serial number, registration number and location.  (Part 1 of 3)

Supermarine Spitfire prototype (Serial No. K5054).  This full-scale replica was commissioned by the Spitfire Society and donated to the Tangmere Military Aviation Museum, Tangmere, Chichester.

(Alan Wilson Photos)

Supermarine Spitfire F Mk. Ia (Serial No. N3200), Reg. No. G-CFGJ, QV, 19 Squadron, Imperial War Museum, Duxford, Cambridgeshire.  Airworthy.   This Spitfire flew with No. 19 Squadron and carries the QV squadron codes it wore when it was shot down on 26 May 1940 in support of the Operation Dynamo, the evacuation of Dunkirk with Squadron Leader Geoffrey Stevenson, 19 Sqn OC, at the controls. N3200 was restored to airworthy condition by Historic Flying Limited, Duxford and is arguably the most authentically restored Spitfire in existence. Its first post-restoration flight took place on 26 March 2014 from the airfield. Donated to the Imperial War Museum on 9 July 2015 by American billionaire and conservationist Thomas Kaplan (aka Mark One Partnership LLC), accepted on behalf of the museum by its Patron, Prince William (Duke of Cambridge). Wikipedia)

(Tim Felce Photos)

(Tony Hisgett Photos)

(Clemens Vasters Photo)

Supermarine Spitfire F Mk. Ia (Serial No. P9374), Reg. No. G-MKIA, I-J, 92 Squadron, Mark One Partnership LLC, Duxford, Cambridgeshire.  Airworthy.  It is painted in the colours it wore while being flown with No. 92 Squadron, RAF Croydon when it was shot down on 24 May 1940, and it landed on the beach at Calais, France.  It was flown by Flying Officer Peter Cazenove, who survived the crash and was taken prisoner by the Germans.  He was held in Stalag Luft III, where he was involved in the Great Escape.

(Tim Felce Photo)

(Charlie Jackson Photo)

(Tony Hisgett Photo)

(Alan Wilson Photos)

Supermarine Spitfire F Mk. Ia (Serial No. X4650), Reg. No. G-CGUK, KL-A, 54 Squadron, Duxford, Cambridgeshire. Airworthy. Owned by Comanche Warbirds. X4650 was built in October 1940 and was delivered to 54 Squadron with the codes KL-A. It crashed in December 1940 before it was struck off charge in June 1941. The remains were recovered in 1976 and a restoration began at Biggin Hill and had its first post-restoration flight in March 2012. (Wikipedia)

 (Mike Freer - Touchdown-aviation Photo)

(Tony Hisgett Photo)

(Alan Wilson Photos)

(Aldo Bidini Photos)

(Tim Felce Photo)

Supermarine Spitfire F Mk. Ia (Serial No. AR213), Reg. No. G-AIST, JZ-E, 57 OTU, painted as (Serial No. P7308), XR-D, 71 Eagle Squadron, Sheringham Aviation, Wycombe, Bucks. Airworthy. Acquired by Group Captain Allen H. Wheeler on 25 October 1946. In 1968 it flew in the film Battle of Britain. In April 1989 it was acquired by Sheringham Aviation. In 2002 it underwent another restoration, repainted with 57 OTU colours, and coded "JZ-E". It featured in the 2017 film Dunkirk. (Wikipedia)

(Clemens Vasters Photos)

(Tony Hisgett Photos)

(ozz13X Photos)

Supermarine Spitfire F Mk. Ia (Serial No. K9942), coded SD-D, 72 (Basutoland) Squadron, Royal Air Force Museum Cosford, Shropshire. On display at the Royal Air Force Museum, RAF Cosford. The markings replicate the ones it wore while serving with 'A Flight', 72 Squadron in 1939. This is the oldest Spitfire still in existence, being the 155th Spitfire built. (Wikipedia)

(Alan Wilson Photos)

Supermarine Spitfire F Mk. Ia (Serial No. P9444), coded RN-D, 72 (Basutoland) Squadron, Science Museum, South Kensington, London. On display at the Science Museum London wearing 72 (Basutoland) Squadron markings with whom it served in 1940. (Wikipedia)

(calflier001 Photo)

(Harry Mitchell Photo)

(Florestan Photo)

(zzztriple200 Photo)

(Les Chatfield Photo)

Supermarine Spitfire F Mk. Ia (Serial No. R6915), Imperial War Museum, South Lambeth, London. On display at the Imperial War Museum, London.[202] This aircraft flew during the Battle of Britain with 609 Squadron. Among the pilots who flew it were aces Noel Agazarian, who had two victories in this aircraft, and John Dundas, who scored one. (Wikipedia)

(Hugh Llewelyn Photos)

(Alan Wilson Photos)

Supermarine Spitfire F Mk. Ia (Serial No. X4590), PR-F, 609 Squadron, Royal Air Force Museum Hendon, London. On display as part of the Battle of Britain Experience at the Royal Air Force Museum, Hendon, in 609 Squadron markings[205] as X4590 / PR-F. These are the markings it wore when serving with 'A Flight' 609 Squadron from RAF Middle Wallop, October 1940. It is credited with ½ share of Ju 88 whilst being flown by Pilot P/O S. J. Hill on 21 October 1940. (Wikipedia)

Supermarine Spitfire F Mk. Ia (Serial No. P9372), Biggin Hill Heritage Hangar, Biggin Hill, Kent. Under restoration at Biggin Hill, Kent, Dutch sources report she is owned by Dutchman Frits van Eerd, CEO of Dutch supermarket chain Jumbo.

Supermarine Spitfire F Mk. Ia (Serial No. P9373), Reg. No. G-CFGN, Mark One Partnership LLC, Duxford, Cambridgeshire.

Supermarine Spitfire F Mk. Ia (Serial No. X4009), coded AZ-Q, remains with the Hunter Fighter Collection (HFC), Scone, New South Wales.  Once restored it will be operated by Vintage Fighter Restorations (VFR), on the UK register as Reg. No. G-EMET.

Supermarine Spitfire F Mk. Ia (Serial No. X4276), Reg. No. G-CDGU, Kent. Under restoration to fly. Built in 1940 and delivered to 54 Squadron later that year and flown by F/Lt Al Deere with the codes KL-B and the name Kiwi III. It collided with X4650 in December 1940 (now airworthy in the UK) and subsequently struck off charge. The remains were recovered in 1987 and have been registered G-CDGU for an airworthy restoration. (Wikipedia)

Supermarine Spitfire F Mk. Ic (Serial No. BR601), Reg. No. G-CIYF, Collings Foundation, being restored at the Biggin Hill Heritage Hangar.

(RAF Photo)

Supermarine Spitfire F Mk. IIa (Serial No. P7895), coded RN-N, No. 72 Squadron RAF, April 1941.

(Adrian Pingstone Photo)

(Carlos Menendez Photo)

(plambertuk Photo)

(John5199 Photos)

(SAC Neil Chapman Photo)

(Carlos Menendez San Juan Photo)

(Kogo Photo)

Supermarine Spitfire F Mk. IIa (Serial No. P7350), 266 and 603 Squadrons, Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, RAF Coningsby, Lincolnshire. Airworthy.  Code QJ-G added to its port side, representing a fighter flown by Sqn Ldr Geoffrey Wellum, DFC, 92 Squadron in 1940.  This aircraft has been repainted  to represent New Zealand-born Al Deere's No. 54 Squadron fighter, (Serial No. R6981), coded KL-B, "Kiwi III".  It is the only surviving Spitfire from the Battle of Britain still flying and is believed to be the 14th aircraft of the 11,989 built at Castle Bromwich.  The aircraft entered service in August 1940 and during the battle served with No. 266 Squadron and No. 603 Squadron.

(Ewanph Photo)

Supermarine Spitfire F Mk. IIa (Serial No. P7540), static display, Czech crest, Dumfries and Galloway Aviation Museum, Dumfries, Scotland.  This aircraft crashed into Loch Doon in 1941 and was recovered by the museum in the 1980s. On display at the Dumfries and Galloway Aviation Museum at the former RAF Dumfries airfield. This aircraft was built at Castle Bromwich on 20 October 1940 and was first issued to 66 Squadron at Gravesend. Whilst being flown by Flying Officer Bobby Oxspring DFC** AFC, it was credited with shooting down a Messerschmitt Bf 109 during the Battle of Britain. On 25 October 1941, whilst being flown by Flying Officer Frantisek Hekl, 312 (Czech) Sqn from RAF Ayr, it crashed into Loch Doon. It was finally recovered from Loch Doon in 1982 and restored to static condition and finally revealed to the public in 2017. (Wikipedia)

Supermarine Spitfire F Mk. IIa (Serial No. P7816), RAF Reserve Collection, Stafford.

Supermarine Spitfire F Mk. IIa (Serial No. P7819), Martin Phillips, Exeter. Under restoration to fly. It became part of 9 Maintenance Unit before joining 303 Squadron in 1941. It was shot down later that year which killed F/O Mierszwa. The remains were later recovered and acquired by Martin Phillips for an airworthy restoration. (Wikipedia)

Supermarine Spitfire F Mk. IIa (Serial No. P8088), Reg. No. G-CGRM, Oxfordshire. Call sign NKK , Borough of Lambeth. Owned by Mark Oliver Altrincham, Manchester, UK . Flown by Pilot Officer Alec Lumsden (UK) who adorned the aeroplane in Just Jake nose art and name Bette (rare for the RAF in 1941) Also flown by Pilot Officer Jens Gielstrup (Danish) Pre war novelist KIA and Flight Sergeant John Barry (Australia) KIFA. (Wikipedia)

Supermarine Spitfire F Mk. IIa (Serial No. P8208), Reg. No. G-RRFF, Retro Track and Air Ltd, Dursley, Gloucestershire.

Supermarine Spitfire F Mk. IIb (Serial No. P8331), coded RF-M, Reg. No. G-KOSC, to be painted in the colours of No. 303 "Kosciuszko" (Polish) Squadron, being restored to airworthy status.  This aircraft and its pilot, acting Wing Commander Piotr Laguna, were lost over northern France in 1941.  P8331 parts were recovered for rebuild. Under restoration to fly. Ordered as part of a consignment of 1000 Mk. II aircraft on 12 April 1939, P8331 was taken on charge from the Castle Bromwich Spitfire factory on 12 March 1941. Delivered to 12 MU on 4 April continuing on to 303 Sqn "Kosciuszko Squadron" based at RAF Northolt on 13 May. P8331 would fly some 52 combat missions with 303 Sqn in the little over six weeks it was operational. Of the 15 pilots who flew the aircraft, eight were Battle of Britain veterans, including Canadian Johnny Kent, and Polish flying legends Wojciech Kolaczkowski, Boleslaw Drobinski, Waclaw Lapkowski, Piotr Laguna and Wiktor Strzembosz. P8331 was being flown by Lapkowski on 4 June when it damaged an Bf 109 in combat over the English Channel between Dungeness and Cap Gris-Nez. On 17 June when being flown by Strzembosz it claimed a probable Bf 109 over Cap Gris-Nez again, and with the same pilot on 23 June had a confirmed Bf 109 kill Over North Desvres. Flown by Wing Commander Piotr Laguna leading the Northolt wing on a fighter offensive sweep on the Luftwaffe base at Coquelles on 27 June 1941, P8331 was struck by ground fire and climbing for height Piotr was seen to bail out but was too low for his parachute to open. P8331 impacted the ground just west of the airfield and was to remain buried until 1986 when it was recovered by local archaeologists. The wreckage remained within the museum and with a small number of local collectors until 2018 when efforts were made to reunite all the wreckage recovered. In April 2020 the substantial remains consisting of propellers and hub, engine, forward fuselage including the majority of the cockpit and fuselage structure were accepted onto the UK CAA registry. (Wikipedia)

Supermarine Spitfire PR Mk. IV (Serial No. AA810), Reg. No. G-PRID. Under restoration to fly by Spitfire AA810 Restoration Ltd who have contracted restoration oversight to Kennet Aviation Ltd at Old Warden in Bedfordshire. Ordered in July 1940 as a Mk. I fighter, this Spitfire was built at Vincents Garage in Reading in the summer of 1941. Test flown by Jeffrey Quill on 17 October 1941 it was delivered to 1 PRU at RAF Benson on 19 October. Assigned to C Flight, it was stationed at RAF Mount Farm in Oxfordshire until deployment to RAF Wick in Scotland in January 1942 as part of the hunt for Tirpitz. Shot down by Heinz Knoke and Dieter Gerhardt on 5 March 1943, AA810 spent the next 76 years sitting on the side of a mountain near Surnadal in Norway. It was recovered in July 2018 and restoration began in March 2019. AA810's last pilot was Alastair Sandy Gunn, who parachuted to safety and was captured. He was later one of the 76 officers who escaped from Stalag Luft III, he was caught and was of the 50 men executed on the orders of Adolf Hitler. (Wikipedia)

Supermarine Spitfire PR Mk. IV (Serial No. BP926), Reg. No. G-PRIV, project in storage. First flown on 2 April 1942 and delivered to the Soviet Air Force on 3 September 1944, before it was shot down by a Bf-109G on 18 June 1944. The wreckage was recovered at some point and is currently registered G-PRIV to Peter Arnold for an airworthy restoration. (Wikipedia)