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SPITFIRE - EN 966 - "FIDUCIA"
Purchased by members of Pay Services for the Royal
Air Force
SPITFIRE EN 966 MARK VB ~Was ordered from Castle Bromwich Aircraft Factory on 23rd
August 1941.
It was delivered to the Royal Air Force on 22nd May 1942 on the same day it 'went into
Squadron
Service with 118 Squadron.
On 19th July 1943, whilst still with 118 Squadron, it was recorded as missing by the Air
Ministry.
The Spitfire Mark V was powered by a Rolls Royce Merlin 45 engine. The addition of "B"' to the mark number denoted the plane was armed with 2 x
2Omm
cannons and 4 x .303 machine guns.
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Presentation Spitfires
Early in World War II Lord Beaverbrook originated the idea of the "Presentation" aircraft. An individual, organisation or town could present the cost of an airframe (for a Spitfire this was set at £ 5 000 although the real cost was nearer £ 12 000!) and an aircraft would be allocated to bear the name of the donor (or any caption they chose instead) in (officially) four inch high yellow characters on the fuselage. The official style was not always adhered to, however.
Other aircraft types than Spitfires were also presented, but there were more "presentation" Spitfires than any other aircraft type. Many towns and organisations had "Spitfire Funds" and went to great lengths to raise the money required. Although the total number of "Presentation Spitfires" is not absolutely clear, some details of 975 aircraft are in the table below. Since the vast majority of Spitfires presented were either Mk I, II, or V (or originally ordered as such) this represents around 11% of the total production.
Many thanks for the Spitfire
Society for this information. You can find out more about the Society by
visiting their site.
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