On 5 October, it was announced that the last Spitfire in use anywhere in the world as an instructional airframe will be restored to flying condition for the nascent Indian Air Force (IAF) Vintage Flight. The machine, Spitfire FR(ⅩⅧ) TZ219, is currently at the aeronautical engineering department of the Chandigarh University of Technology. Prof Kishori Lal, head of aerospace engineering at the college, said that the IAF revealed its interest in the aircraft a few months ago, and offered to give the college a MiG-21 in exchange. The Spitfire was presented to the then Punjab Engineering College during 1962 by AVM Harjinder Singh, who took a keen interest in establishing an aeronautical department at Chandigarh. The control surfaces and seat from the aeroplane have been set up in a rig for instructional purposes, and the wings made available for study to students who come from all over the country. The fuselage had some skin removed to expose the structure, and it is currently held, along with the Griffon 67 engine, elsewhere within the aeronautical engineering department of the college.
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