Recently took the kids to the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and museum in Glasgow, and the highlight (for me!) was this Mk21 Spit hanging from the roof. This link gives you an idea of the amount of hassle to get it there! Spitfire LA198 LA198 Technical Vickers Supermarine Spitfire F Mk21 LA198. Fuselage serial number from Frame 5 plate: Serial Number 13658 Drg. No. 33727 SHT 13 Passed Cockpit data plate on right hand side of cockpit between frames 10 and 11 gives serial SMAF 4338. Engine fitted comprised of a stripped Rolls Royce Griffon 61 crankcase (Serial No. 16704) including crankshaft with cylinder banks and heads. No internal components to engine. The aircraft had the following specifications: Wingspan 36 feet 11inches Length 32 feet 8inches Empty Weight 7160 lb Normal Maximum Take-off 11,290 lb Maximum Speed (at 19,000 feet) 450 miles per hour Maximum Dive Speed 520 miles per hour Service Ceiling Range 43,000 feet Range 580 miles Maximum Range with 70 gallon drop tank 965 miles. Spitfire LA198 History 21 September 1944 Aircraft built at South Marston, Wiltshire, test flight by Flight Lieutenant Johnson, duration 25 minutes. 2 October 1944 Taken on charge at 33 MU (Maintenance Unit), Lyneham, delivered by Captain Hughes, ATA (Air Transport Auxiliary). 3 May 1945 Allocated to No 1 Squadron, Manston. 4 October 1945 Placed in storage at No 9 (Maintenance Unit), Cosford. 12 May 1947 Allocated to 602 (City of Glasgow) Squadron Royal Auxiliary Air Force 25 October 1947 Damaged in a Category 'A' flying accident. 11 May 1948 Repairs completed by No 63 MU (Maintenance Unit), Carluke. 22 July 1949 Emergency landing Horsham St. Faith due to engine failure, pilot Jim Johnston intentionally ground-looped aircraft, category 'B' damage sustained. 9 August 1949 Dispatched to Vickers Armstrong, South Marston for repair. 21 July 1950 Work completed. 27 July 1950 Aircraft collected by No 33 MU (Maintenance Unit), and placed in storage. 19 September 1951 Allocated to No 3 Civilian Anti-Aircraft Co-operation Unit, Exeter. 19 November 1953 Returned to Vickers Armstrong for possible resale. 19 February 1954 Presented to No 187 Squadron ATC at Worcester, given serial number 7118M. 1967-1968 Use in Battle of Britain film. 1970 Restored and on display as gate guardian RAF Locking, Avon. 1973 Rolls Royce Griffon 61 engine removed for BBMF PR 19. March 1986 Moved to RAF Leuchars, Fife. 6 June 1986 Dedication ceremony at Leuchars for refurbished aircraft now on display as a gate guardian. 12 April 1989 Moved from RAF Leuchars to RAF St Athan for storage. 1996 Moved to RAF Museum Store, Cardington. 1997 Gifted to the City of Glasgow 4 March 1998 Delivered to the Museum of Flight, East Fortune, for restoration. July 2003 Aircraft arrives and is assembled at Museum of Transport, Glasgow. July 2006 Aircraft is on display at the reopening of Kelvingrove Art Gallery Museum. Apologies for the quality of the pics, I only had a pocket camera on me.
Beutiful photos, thanks a bunch for sharing. Really stunning, no apologies needed. The quality is fine considering the lighting you had to work with.
