The Making of the film:
The survivors
Spitfire Mk.FRXIVe MT847
Squadron:
Type: VS379
Engine: Griffon
Serial No. /Reg. MT847
Sqdn - code: 226OCU-UU-A
Role in film: Allocated not used, Currently: Display
History
This aircraft is one of a mixed batch of Mk.VIII and XIV aircraft built by Vickers-Armstrongs against Contract No. 1877 C23 and is believed to have been constructed at the Keevil works in Wiltshire. It was delivered to No.6 MU at Brize Norton on 28th February 1945 and remained in store until 15th December that year when it was issue to A&AEE at Boscombe Down for unspecified tests, returning to storage at No.29 MU High Ercall on 18th February 1946. It remained in store for almost five years, emerging on 14th November 1950 on issue to No.226 OCU at Stradishall, Suffolk, where it bore the codes “UU-A”. Its stay was relatively short and on 9th February 1953 it was at No.33 MU Lyneham, where it was declared a non-effective airframe, being transferred to No.90 MU at Warton, Lancs, on 30th April, where it was placed on the gate with the serial 6960M allocated to it on 28th May. (An unconfirmed report suggests that MT847 was located at RAF Kirkham between 1953 and 1955).
With the steady run down of the RAF during the 1950’s MT847 moved on to the Medical Training Establishment at nearby Freckleton during 1955, where it was painted as “MT-E”, remaining here for a while before possibly moving on to Middleton St George and Weeton before arriving at Cosford in 1964. In 1967 it was sent to RAF Henlow for the Battle of Britain, although not used its parts kept other aircraft flying. On completion of the film it was returned to Cosford where it was mounted on a pylon on the parade ground for several years before being taken down and restored for the new aerospace Museum as the RAF’s last Spitfire XIV.
Current location – RAF Museum, Museum of Science and industry, Manchester – display.
Other Aircraft