SPITFIRE HF MK Vc LZ844

SPITFIRE HF MK Vc LZ844 (A58-213)

(One that got away!)

Built by Supermarine at Castle Bromwich as LZ844. (Source: 1)

20APR43

Taken on charge at No 38 Maintenance Unit. (Source: 1)

26APR43

Allotted to No 47 Maintenance Unit. (Source: 1)

15MAY43

Shipped to Australia on the S.S. Kent. (Source: 1)

02JUL43

Issued to RAAF. (Source: 1)

Allocated RAAF serial A58-213. (Source: 2)
There is photographic evidence that the aeroplane was still painted as LZ844 when it was being converted to components after the accident which ended its RAAF service i.e. it was never painted as A58-213. (Source: 4)

13JUL43

Received at No 1 Aircraft Park, Geelong, Vic. ex the UK. (Source: 2)

21JUL43

Issued and received at No 1 Aircraft Depot, Laverton, Vic. ex 1AP. (Source: 2)

21JUL43

Allotted No 13 Aircraft Repair Depot, Breddan, Qld. ex 1AD. (Source: 2)

30JUL43

Issued to 13ARD ex 1AD. (Source: 2)

02AUG43

Received at 13ARD ex 1AD. (Source: 2)

18AUG43

Allotted No 79 Sqn, Kiriwina (Trobriand Islands) ex 13ARD as a replacement for JG884. (Source: 2)

09SEP43

Issued to 79 Sqn ex 13ARD. (Source: 2)

12SEP43

Received at 79 Sqn ex 13ARD. (Source: 2)
LZ844 arrived at Kiriwina from Horn Island and Port Moresby. (Source: 3)

11DEC43

Brakes failed on landing at Kiriwina resulting in extensive damage. The brake failure resulted from a blown diaphragm. Aircraft had been engaged in non-operational practice formation flying. (Source: 2)
Pilot was Sgt Chomley. (Source: 3)

12DEC43

Aircraft recommended for repair. (Source: 2)

14DEC43

Allotted to No 26 Repair and Salvage Unit at Goodenough Island ex 79 Sqn for repair. (Source: 2)

15DEC43

Issued to 26RSU ex 79 Sqn. (Source: 2)

16DEC43

Received at 26RSU ex 79 Sqn. (Source: 2)
Main party of 12RSU arrived at Kiriwina. (Source: 3)

12JAN44

26RSU report that aircraft is not considered economically repairable and parts required urgently for servicing other aircraft. (Source: 2)

17JAN44

Allotted 12RSU ex 26RSU. (Source: 2)

30JAN44

Issued to 12RSU ex 26RSU. (Source: 2)

30JAN44

Received at 12RSU ex 26RSU. (Source: 2)

31JAN44

Damaged fuselage was photographed by John Harrison in the hangar of 12RSU at Kiriwina. The aircraft carried the serial LZ844 and was coded UP-X. (Source: 4)
This confirms that the aircraft was never painted as A58-213.

04MAR44

AMSE approve conversion to components. (Source: 2)

09MAR44

RAAF HQ approve conversion to components. (Source: 2)

The aircraft was converted to components and the remainder of the airframe abandoned at Kiriwina.

A recovery expedition, principally funded by David Tallichet, was mounted in New Guinea to recover US built machines. As part of this expedition, or as a side trip, Monty Armstrong, the principal recovery engineer, located Spitfire components on Kiriwina Island. (Source: 5)

The Spitfire components were shipped to a collection point at Lae and then onward to New Zealand where they were stored in a covered area at Ardmore in the custody of Monty Armstrong. (Source: 5)

c.78

A fuselage and possibly one wing were shipped to Barry Coran in Melbourne, Australia. When located on Kiriwina, this fuselage was described as a Castle Bromwich built fuselage from firewall to behind the cockpit with a large portion of the port fuselage side structure missing. Period photos show that the fuselage was bead blasted soon after arrival in Australia. Barry Coran has no knowledge of data plates associated with this fuselage. From the configuration of the lower fuselage spar, the aircraft was confirmed as a Mk V and, by inference of associated parties, of Castle Bromwich rather than Westland production. (Source: 5)

23DEC96

Rolled out at Point Cook after restoration. Painted in RAF camouflage as R6915 and coded PR-U. The real R6915 is a Mk IA which is extant at the Imperial War Museum, in the UK. (Source: 7)

"Although now fitted with a Mk VIII long bearer, cowlings and four blade prop by Barry Coran, the aircraft is actually a Mk V, by virtue of the common hole size in the lower wing boom/fuselage spar. An exhaustive study of the 79 Squadron ORB, counting them all out and counting them all in, together with period photographic support suggests with 95% probability that this aircraft is LZ844 beyond reasonable doubt." (Source: 5)

The four-bladed prop is a Barracuda unit contributed to the project by the Queensland Air Museum.

Loaned to the RAAF Museum, Point Cook. (Source: 7)

10SEP99

An Australian export permit was granted for a "Supermarine Spitfire aircraft (composite - unknown mark) not flying". This may or may not refer to LZ844. (Source: 10)

20OCT02

Trucked from Point Cook to Essendon. (Source: 7)

17FEB03

Auctioned at Avalon Airport by Fowles Auction Group. The aircraft had been on display at the Avalon Air Show on the days leading up to the auction. Bidding was opened at $400,000 (the reserve price) and progressively lowered to $50,000 but there were no bidders and the aircraft was passed in. (Source: 6)

APR03

Noted at Avalon in open storage covered by tarpaulins. (Source: 6)

22MAY03

Sold to Aviation Australia. (Source: 8)

10JUN03

Arrived at the Aviation Australia facility at Brisbane Airport by road. (Source: 8)

OCT06

To FEB07 the aircraft underwent further repairs and preservation by AA students and staff and was repainted in RAAF camouflage and roundels. (Source: 8)

24FEB07

Trucked to Caloundra on loan to QAM.

The aircraft is currently fitted with a Rolls Royce Merlin Mk. 25 (s/n 104543) from a Mosquito. (Source: 9)

23FEB11

QAM was advised that a sale was under negotiation. QAM was not given an opportunity to bid for the aircraft.

06MAY11

Ownership passed to Martin Cobb of the UK.

09MAY11

Aircraft removed from Hangar 1 for dismantling by owner's agent prior to shipping to the UK. To fit the aircraft in the shipping container, one propeller blade was sawn off by the owner's agent. This propeller was originally donated to Barry Coran by QAM for incorporation in the rebuild of LZ844.

11MAY11

Container departed QAM.

28MAY12

Photographed at Kemble, UK with two propeller blades sawn off.

SOURCES
1	Morgan, E.B. & Shacklady, E. 1987 Spitfire The History, 1st edn., Key Publishing, Great Britain.
2	RAAF Form E/E.88 (Status Card)
3	No 79 Sqn Operations Record Book
4	Australian War Memorial Photo OG0628
5	Correspondence with Spitfire historian Peter Arnold.
6	Prossor, D. 2003-2004 Australian Aviation - Warbirds, Aerospace Publications, ACT
7	www.warbirdregistry.org
8	Correspondence with Aviation Australia
9	David Birch, Rolls Royce Heritage Trust supported by observations by QAM.
10	Department of Communications, Information Technology and the Arts Annual Report on the operation of the Protection of Movable Cultural Heritage Act 1986 and the administration of the National Cultural Heritage Account 1999–2000. http://www.arts.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0007/83383/annual1999.pdf
Special thanks to Peter Arnold for his assistance in the compilation of this history.

Compiled by Ron Cuskelly

ISSUE	DATE	REMARKS
6	03OCT12	Added an image of the aircraft reassembled in the UK.
5	21MAY11	Added a reference to an export permit issued on 10SEP99.
4	06MAY11	Aviation Australia sold the aircraft to Martin Cobb in the UK.
3	28JUN09	Added the model and serial number of the engine.
2	27MAR07	Added details of acquisition by Aviation Australia.
1	21MAR07	Original issue.