Dates

Event

Constructed as a Spitfire LF.IXe.

Taken on Strength/Charge with the Royal Air Force with s/n MK356.

March 1944

Transferred to 443 (RCAF) SQN, RAF Digby.
Moved with 144 Wing to RAF Holmsley, near Bournemouth, then to RAF Westhampnett (now Goodwood) and later to RAF Ford in Sussex.

14 April 1944

On 14 April 1944 MK356 flew its first operational mission as part of a fighter sweep over occupied France, piloted by 20-year-old Canadian, Flying Officer Gord Ockenden, who flew 19 ops in the aircraft.

14 June 1944

On 14 June 1944 the aircraft made its third wheels-up landing of the war which ended its short operational life, as the next day the Squadron moved and the aircraft was left behind to be collected and stored by a maintenance unit.

From Circa 1945 to Circa 1951

Transferred to RAF Halton.
As an instructional airframe.

New serial number assigned: 5690M RAF
Maintenance number assigned.

1951

Transferred to RAF Hawkinge.
As a Gate Guardian.

Transferred to RAF Bicester.
As a Gate Guardian.

Transferred to RAF Locking.
As a Gate Guardian.

By 1968

Transferred to RAF Henlow.
As a Gate Guardian.

1968

Featured as a static airframe in the film Battle of Britain.

Circa 1968

Transferred to RAF Museum Reserve Collection, RAF Saint Athan.

By October 1986

Markings Applied: 2I-V
In D-Day markings.

9 October 1986

Note: rounded top of rudder.
Photographer: Robert Nichols
Notes: at RAF St Athan

January 1992

Restoration started.
By a team from St Athan.

November 1997

Restoration completed.

Circa November 1997

First post-restoration Flight.
Aircraft flew again for the first time in 53 years.

By 1997

To The Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, RAF Saint Athan.

By 1998

To The Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, RAF Coningsby, Coningsby, Lincolnshire/Lincs, England.
View the Location Dossier

19 July 2003

Photographer: Ken Videan
Notes: In the 100 Years of Flight enclave at RIAT Fairford.

17 September 2005

Note: extended top of rudder.
Photographer: Robert Nichols
Notes: At RNAS Yeovilton Air Day

3 September 2011

Photographer: Simon Wallwork
Notes: MK356, SpitfireMk.IX at Duxford. It belongs to the RAFBBMF

By September 2013

Markings Applied: UF-Q
Overall silver c/s, coded UF-Q.

7 September 2013

Photographer: Robert Nichols
Notes: RAF Leuchars Air Show

By 2014

Markings Applied: 5J-K
Painted to represent Spitfire Mk IXc ML214, coded 5J-K, the personal aircraft of Squadron Leader Johnny Plagis, the Commanding Officer of No 126 Squadron from July 1944. Plagis named all of his personal Spitfires after his sister Kay (Katrina) and ML214 bore her name on the port side above two scrolls displaying 16 swastikas - his kill markings. The aircraft is painted with black and white invasion stripes on the underside of the wings and rear fuselage. For some unknown reason, certain fighter units of the UK-based No 10 Group, Air Defence of Great Britain (ADGB), painted non-standard, narrower stripes on their aircraft (nine inches wide instead of the standard eighteen).

20 June 2014

Photographer: Thomas Delvoye
Notes: Gilze-Rijen AB, the Netherlands.

20 June 2014

Photographer: Thomas Delvoye
Notes: Gilze-Rijen AB, the Netherlands.

19 July 2015

Photographer: Thomas Delvoye
Notes: RAF Fairford, UK

10 June 2018

Photographer: Thomas Delvoye
Notes: RAF Cosford, UK

25 May 2024

Crashed.
David Cotton comments (8 July 2024): Spitfire MK356 Sadly crashed on approach back to RAF Coningsby. The Pilot Squadron Leader Mark Long was tragically killed. The BBMF were subsequently grounded and remain so as of 8 July 2024. The wreck is also as far as is known a total loss.