08/04/2022

Two Seat Roundup...

(Originally posted :: TUESDAY, 10 APRIL 2018)
Someone asked me the other day how many two seat Spitfires there are,  so I drew up this brief list...

The surviving original two seaters are:
T8 Vickers Prototype (from MkVIII)
MT818 (Vickers Canopy) Airworthy UK

T9 Vickers  (from MkIX) (Irish Air Corps)
MJ627 (158)(Vickers Canopy) Airworthy UK
MJ772 (159) (Vickers Canopy) Under Repair UK
PV202 (161)(Vickers Canopy) Airworthy UK
ML407 (162)(Grace In Line Canopy Conversion) Airworthy UK
TE308 (163) (Vickers Canopy) USA damaged

T9 Vickers (Indian Air Force)
ML417 (HS543) now reverted to single seat MkIX Airworthy USA

The T9 "Modern" conversions are:
PT462 (“Grace” Canopy) Airworthy UK
SM520 (Vickers Canopy) Airworthy UK
NH431 (Vickers Canopy) Airworthy UK
MH367 (“Grace” Canopy) Airworthy NZ

UPDATED LIST 29/5/21
8/4/22

In the four years since I first drew up the list above, the strength of two-seat Spitfires has increased and one (TE308/163) has now returned to the UK and restored to airworthy status in new squadron markings. So now all but one of the surviving Irish Air Corps T9 Spitfires are resident and operating in the UK.
MJ772/159 recently moved to the Netherlands and is being operated by the "Spitfires Flying Vintage Everyday" foundation.

Airworthy
1. MT818 No Codes - operated by Biggin Hill Heritage Hangar 
2. MH367 FL⦿A - operated by Warbird Adventure Rides Ltd (NZ)
3. MJ627 9G⦿Q 🇮🇪 158 - operated by Biggin Hill Heritage Hangar
4. MJ772 GW⦿A 🇮🇪159 - operated by SFVE foundation (NL)
5. ML407 OU⦿V 🇮🇪 162 - operated by Ultimate Warbird Flights
6. NH341 DB⦿E - operated by Aero Legends 
7. PT462 SW⦿A - operated by Aerial Collective
8. PV202 5R⦿H 🇮🇪 161 - operated by Aerial Collective
9. SM520 KJ⦿I - operated by Spitfires.com
10. TE308 ZP⦿W 🇮🇪 163 - operated by Biggin Hill Heritage Hangar
11. ML295 DB⦿M - Airworthy at Biggin Hill Heritage Hangar (flown 8/4/22?)
12. BS410 PK⦿A - Owned by Martin Philips/operated by Spitfires.com (flown 8/4/22?)

(🇮🇪 Former Irish Air Corps aircraft)

Under Restoration
13. EN570 FY⦿J - (G/M) Being restored for Norwegian Flying Aces by Airframe Assemblies Ltd
14. No14  ??⦿? - Being restored Biggin Hill Heritage Hangar
15. BS548 ??⦿?(G/M) Being restored by Airframe Assemblies Ltd for Ross Pay
16. MJ444 2I⦿? - Being restored by Airframe Assemblies Ltd for Aero Legends
17. TE566  ??⦿? -Being restored by Airframe Assemblies Ltd for Enstone
18. MJ518 ??⦿? - Indian Air Force heritage flight
(G/M) = Grace/Melton type canopy








2 comments:

  1. Very much so - seven of the world's eight flying two seaters are in the UK.
    Spoilt for choice!!!!

    ReplyDelete