Supermarine Spitfire Tr.9

Fighter

Airworthy - At Ardmore

A symbol of British defiance against Nazi Germany, the Spitfire was designed as a high performance, short-range interceptor combining superb aerodynamics with one of the best aero-engine motors of the time, the Rolls Royce Merlin.  It was highly regarded by its pilots, who praised it for its flying characteristics and its ability to outturn its nemesis, the Messerschmitt Bf 109.

Since 1941, Supermarine had planned to produce a two-seat Spitfire conversion trainer to fast track pilot training but the idea was rejected by the British War Ministry.  It wasn’t until early 1945 that Vickers Supermarine (as a private venture) started the construction of a prototype/demonstration aircraft in early 1945 which lead to 20 Mk IX airframes being converted to trainer spec.

MH367 served in Europe, taking part in Operations Market Garden and Varsity.  In 1948 it suffered a serious landing accident and was scrapped as it was deemed surplus to supply.  Its remains were discovered 40 years later and was incorporated into a Spitfire two-seat project that was underway at the time in the USA.  MH367’s first post restoration flight was in November 2006 and was painted in the colours of a Mk. V Spitfire (ER570) flown by Major Robert Levine of the 4th Fighter Squadron, 52nd Fighter Group, United States Army Air Force in Tunisia 1943.

It was then sold to current owner Doug Brooker and arrived in New Zealand early May 2008 and registered as ZK-WDQ (WD-Q was ER570’s squadron code).  Since then MH367 has displayed at all major NZ air shows and is a frequent flier at Ardmore Airport (mostly adventure flights).  She is currently painted in the colours of EN520, an 81 Squadron RAF Spitfire that was flown by New Zealand’s highest scoring Ace, Colin Gray.

MH367 is the only two-seat dual control Spitfire in the southern hemisphere and as such allows members of the public the opportunity of flying in Supermarine’s beloved fighter for themselves.

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Country of Origin: United Kingdom
Engine: Packard Merlin 266, 1710 Hp V12, 2 stage-2 speed supercharger
Length: 9.52m (31ft 4.5in)
Height: 3.58m (12ft 7.75in)
Wing Span: 11.23m (35ft 10in)
Maximum Speed: 408 mph (657 kmh or 354 knots)
Service Ceiling: 43,000ft (13,106m)
Armament: 2 × 20 mm Hispano Mk II cannons & 2 × .50 in M2 Browning machine guns