RAF BBMF Spitfire XVI flies

摘要

Supermarine spitfire XVI TE311 made its first flight for 58 years at RAF Coningsby, Lincolnshire, on the afternoon of October 29. The fighter has been rebuilt to airworthy standard by the dedicated engineers on the RAF Battle of Britain Memorial Flight over the last 12 years. The addition of a Mk XVI to the RAF BBMF fleet is particularly appropriate, the Flight having operated three examples of the type in its early days. All three of those aircraft are now in the United States. The machine has been painted up in the codes 4D-V, as worn on Mk XVI TB675 while flown by Sqn Ldr Tony Reeves DFC, the CO of 74 Sqn, from March-May 1945.