Spitfire P835S

Resting in the shadow of the control tower at Balado is the Propellor boss of the spitfire P835S known as The Gibraltar Spitfire..............

GIBRALTAR SPITFIRE.

In the summer of 1940, when Britain was enduring the German aerial onslaughts of 'the Battle of Britain", the need for spitfires had become urgent. Not for the first time, the people of Gibraltar responded to an appeal for the raising of £5,000 for the construction of another of these aircraft, the funds being raised by public subscription between August and October 1940. The sum raised, in excess of the required £5,000, was duly handed over to the Ministry of Aircraft Production, and the spitfire, No P8394. was named "Gibraltar".

The 'Gibraltar' spitfire began operations in April 1941, and was engaged on sweeps and bomber escorts. When it became involved in an accident, it was taken to Belfast for repairs, and once these were completed it was given a training role in November 1942. On the 29th January, 1943, during a practice homing exercise, the 'plane crashed near Stirling in Scotland, killing the pilot. A total of 345 flying hours had been covered by the aircraft.


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Pieces of the plane were recovered from Gate hill near Stirling during a dig. Some of these pieces were to be given to the museum in Gibraltar, but this seems to have found its final resting place at the airfield, from which it no doubt flew.
The final day of the, "Just add wind festival" at Balado. Some wonderful kites, but I thought you'd like to see this instead.


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Thanks to aime, altered the title.