Supermarine Spitfire MK Vb EP120 G-LFVB |The Fighter Collection

Spitfire EP120
  • STATUS: Airworthy
  • LOCATION: Duxford
  • OWNER: The Fighter Collection
  • ROLE: Fighter
  • BUILT: 1942
  • LENGTH: 9.12 m (29 ft 11 in)
  • WINGSPAN: 11.23 m (36 ft 10 in)
  • ENGINE: Rolls-Royce Merlin 45 V-12 liquid-cooled piston engine, 1,440 hp
  • MAXIMUM SPEED: 369 mph (594 km/h) at 19,500 ft
  • RANGE: 470 miles (756 km)
  • ARMAMENT: 2 × 20 mm Hispano Mk.II cannon, 4 × .303 Browning Mk II machine guns

Few surviving Spitfires can match the combat history of EP120. Built at Castle Bromwich in 1942, this Mk Vb entered RAF service at a time when the Spitfire Mk V was one of Britain’s principal frontline fighters. Today, restored as “AE-A” of No. 402 (City of Winnipeg) Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force, EP120 remains one of the most historically significant flying Spitfires in existence.

Wartime Career

EP120 was taken on charge by 45 Maintenance Unit at RAF Kinloss on 23 May 1942, before being posted to No. 501 Squadron at Ibsley, Hampshire, on 4 June. Flying initially as SD-Y, the aircraft saw intensive operations over southern England and participated in the air battles surrounding the Dieppe Raid, Operation Jubilee, on 19 August 1942.

During its time with 501 Squadron, EP120 became associated with Squadron Leader Geoffrey Northcott, who was credited with six victories while flying the aircraft. EP120 was damaged in a ground collision with Spitfire AB403 at Ibsley on 16 July 1942, but was returned to Castle Bromwich for repair and subsequently returned to operational service.

The aircraft later served with No. 19 Squadron before joining No. 402 Squadron RCAF, the famous City of Winnipeg Squadron. It was eventually coded AE-A, the identity it carries today. EP120’s wartime career is credited with seven confirmed aerial victories, making it an exceptionally combat-proven survivor among flying Spitfires.

Post-War Survival

Unlike many Spitfires that were scrapped after 1945, EP120 survived as an instructional airframe and subsequently as a gate guardian at several RAF stations. It carried the maintenance serial 5377M during this period.

In 1968 the aircraft was used as a static aircraft during production of the film The Battle of Britain. After further years as a gate guardian and storage airframe, EP120 was eventually rescued from a very different future: disposal.

The airframe was acquired by The Fighter Collection in 1993 and underwent an extensive restoration by Historic Flying at Audley End. Following restoration, EP120 returned to flight on 12 September 1995, beginning its second career as a flying historic aircraft.

EP120 has also appeared in the 2000 film Pearl Harbor, temporarily wearing fictional markings representing an Eagle Squadron Spitfire.

The Aircraft Today

Today, G-LFVB/EP120 is presented in the markings of No. 402 Squadron RCAF, wearing the code AE-A and representing the aircraft’s association with the City of Winnipeg Squadron. Its survival is particularly remarkable given that it passed through frontline combat, accident damage, post-war instructional duties, multiple gate-guardian assignments, film work and decades of storage before returning to the air.