Supermarine Spitfire Mk.IX PL344 at HARS

[colford]

One Australian warbird arrival that seems to have 'slipped under the radar' is that of Supermarine Spitfire Mk.IX PL344. Aerial Speed Icons Pty Ltd, owned by Australian Shaun Browne, purchased two Spitfires in the USA back in 2019, Mk.IX PL344 and Mk.XIV RN201. They were sent to the UK and RN201 has been flying in the UK since then. Back in October 2020 it was reported that PL344 had been packed in a container and was heading to Australia. PL344 arrived sometime in the past couple of months and has taken up residence at HARS for reassembly, any remedial work, and preparation for its issue of an Australian CoA and its first flight in Australia. It has been given the Australian registration VH-IUK and has conducted some preliminary engine tests in recent weeks. It is scheduled to conduct a number of further engine run up and tests this coming weekend during the planned HARS Tarmac Days as it moves closer to its first flight in Australia. Hopefully we will be seeing this Spitfire at a few Australian Airshows in 2022.

(Would be nice to see it 'debut' at TAM on their 5 March 2022 Aircraft Showcase which is going to coincide with the Australian Spitfire Association 60th Anniversary event at TAM that evening. Could we hope for a Spitfire 'finger four' in Australian skies?)

[ZacYates]

I remember reading about these two a while ago, somehow they managed to slip my mind! I'm glad to hear PL344 is in Oz and all preparations are well underway.

[colford]

Photographs posted of PL344 VH-IUK having its first flight in Australia at Illawarra Shellharbour Airport this past Friday - 10 June 2022. Photos posted on the FB page of G.E.C. Aviation Photography and now also starting to be shared on a number of the other Australian based FB warbird pages. It is finished in the markings of No.401 (RCAF) Squadron as YO-K. Hope we get to see this Spitfire at a few of the Australian Airshows planned for the second half of this year.