Supermarine Spitfire Tr.8 MT818 (G-AIDN) took to the air at around 2:30pm on March 30 for its first flight since 1993, after an immaculate refurbishment by Wycombe-based Personal Plane Services. Built at Eastleigh in June 1944, it was converted from a standard Mk.Ⅷ to become the prototype Spitfire trainer in 1946 and it continues to fly in two-seat configuration. Prior to conversion it flew comparison trials with Mk.Ⅸ PT452 in October and November 1944 and was the only Mk.Ⅷ to be transformed into a trainer - all subsequent two-seaters were converted from Mk.Ⅸ airframes. Registered as G-AIDN on August 22, 1946, it was used by Vickers Armstrongs between 1947 and 1953, and competed in the 1950 King's Cup Air Race, before entering storage.
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