Spitfire Mk. Vc, EE602, G-IBSY.

Pilot Dave Puleston arriving at IWM Duxford Airfield from Sywell in Supermarine Spitfire EE602, G-IBSY, with a run and break for landing, on 9th November 2023. EE602 initially went to 33 Maintenance Unit (MU) before being issued to 66 Squadron at RAF Zeals, Wiltshire on 21 October 1942. She was transferred to 129 (Mysore) Squadron on 19 February 1943. Funds for the aircraft were raised by The Uruguayan Railways, which was run at the time by British expats. Upon EE602’s side is inscribed ‘Central Railways Uruguayan Staff’ as a mark of her ’presentation’ from the funds raised. As such she was formally ‘presented’ to 129 Squadron at RAF Ibsley on 31st May 1943. EE602’s final squadron was 453 Squadron Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) where it carried the squadron code ’FU-?’ and was generally flown by Flt. Lt. Don Andrews. At the time 453 Squadron was based at RAF Ibsley. On 17 July 1943 during a rest from operations, two sections of ’B’ Flight, including Flt. Lt. Don Andrews in EE602, flew sorties to exercise some British armoured units on Salisbury Plain. After making dummy attacks down a road lined with tanks and fighting vehicles, it was necessary to pull up at the end to clear hills. Unfortunately, there was a line of telephone wires stretching between the hills, and the leader, Don Andrews, flew under the wires, clipping off the top of his rudder. W/O Ross Currie was flying as No.2 and also sustained wire and debris damage. Andrews staggered up to gain some height, turned on his back and intentionally dropped out of the cockpit, making a safe parachute descent. EE602 hit the ground at Enford Down West and burst into flames, and within fifteen seconds all that remained was a few wisps of black oily smoke and some spasmodic bursts of exploding ammunition. The damage to Ross Currie’s aircraft had resulted in the loss of the pitot head, freezing the airspeed indicator, making it useless. To avoid stalling, it was necessary to formate on another aircraft, which enabled him to land safely. EE602 was taken off charge with category E damage (aircraft ’written off’). 20 May 2011 the aircraft was registered to Ian David Ward, Aldershot as G-VMIJ. 25 January 2012 - Registration changed to G-IBSY with a new owner, Fairfax Spitfires Ltd, Salisbury. After a full restoration (2012 to 2015) completed by Airframe Assemblies, VMI Engineering, Retrotec & Air and Biggin Hill Heritage Hangar - presumably in reality a build of a new ’replica’ Spitfire containing some part/s known to have been from EE602 - it now flies again in the markings that the original EE602 carried while serving with 129 Squadron. The first flight was on 15 May 2015. 30 October 2017 - sold to Anglia Aircraft Restorations. 31 may 2022 - ownership transferred to Fighter Aviation Engineering Ltd. Operated by Air Leasing and based at Sywell and IWM Duxford. Video and Audio content is Copyright © High Flight This video and audio material may not be reproduced in any form (except as the videos Youtube embedded video option on any other website), without written permission.