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Serial #: BL628 Construction #: CBAF 1660 Civil Registration: G-BTTN VH-FVB Model: Mk. Vb Name: Marion Status: Airworthy Last info: 2007 |
History: Built at Castle Bromwich, Birmingham, 19??. Delivered to RAF as BL628. - Accepted by 12MU, Jan. 1942. - Allocated to RCAF squadron 401, Gravesend, Feb. 1942. - Issued to G.B. Murray who named it Marion after his girlfriend. -- Credited with two Fw190`s damaged, one Fw190 destroyed. - Transferred to 308 Squadron 31st Fighter Group USAAF, Aug 1942. - Transferred to 167 Squadron RAF, Aug. 1942. - Transferred to 610 Squadron, Oct. 1942. Transferred to Royal Navy, 1943. - Converted to hooked Spitfire configuration at Cunliffe Owen Aircraft Ltd, June 1943 - Allocated to 899 RN Squadron for training, Belfast, Ireland. - Moved to St. Merryn, 1944. - Undercarriage collapsed on landing, Feb. 5, 1944. - Transferred to 719 and 794 Squadrons Royal Navy at St.Merryn. - Eventually struck off charge and abandoned. Peter Croser & Michael Aitchison, Melbourne, Victoria, 1977-1991. - Fuselage and cockpit section found derelict on farm, St. Merryn, Cromwell, 1977. - Shipped to Australia. - Rebuilt using components from UK scrapyards. - Rebuilt in Melbourne & Adelaid. - Shipped to UK. -- Rebuilt by Dick Melton, 1988-1991. D.J.T. John/Aerofab Restorations, Thruxton, Aug. 13, 1991. - Registered as G-BTTN. Peter Croser & Michael Aitchison, Melbourne, Australia, 1991-2007. - Registered as VH-FVB. - Restored to airworthy. -- Fuselage completed as BL628/YO-D/Marion. - Wing assemblies built on Isle Of Wight, UK. - Final wing assembly done in Melbourne. - First flight, Sept. 29, 2007. |
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Source(s): Chapman, John & Goodall, Geoff, Edited by Paul Coggan - Warbirds Directory,Warbirds Worldwide Ltd., Mansfield, England, 1989. Goodall, Geoff - Warbirds Directory-4th Edition, 2003. |
Photo Source(s): Howard Cook Colin Hunter Research Assistance: - |
