Supermarine Spitfire MK XIV RM927 (G-SXIV) | W Air Collection

  • STATUS: Airworthy
  • LOCATION: Cerny-La Ferté-Alais
  • OWNER: W Air Collection
  • ROLE: Fighter
  • BUILT: 1944
  • LENGTH:  9.95 m/32 ft 8 in
  • WINGSPAN: 11.23 m/36 ft 10 in
  • ENGINE: Griffon IIB
  • MAXIMUM SPEED:  441mph
  • RANGE: 610 miles (980 km)
  • ARMAMENT: 4 × 20 mm Hispano II cannon plus single camera

Spitfire Mk XIV RM927 was built in November 1944 as 6S-381758 and delivered to the RAF in January 1956, assigned to the Canadian No 430 Squadron based at Eindhoven in Holland where it flew with codes G9-X. It was one of the rare Griffon-powered Spitfires to have been engaged on the European front in combat and reconnaissance missions. On March 9, 1945, while being piloted by Flight Lieutenant Stevens, RM927 was damaged by flak just behind the cockpit, causing it to be withdrawn from the front.

Stored, it was sold in November 1947 to the Belgian Air Force where it received the serial SG-25 and the code 3R-D. Used by the young pilots of Koksijde, it was repainted some time later in metal gray with the codes IQ-W.

Accidentally damaged in 1952, RM927 was grounded and stored before finally being retired in 1954. The aircraft then went from workshop to workshop, without its restoration ever being completed.

RM927 was finally acquired by the French W Air Collection in late 2020. After a very brief stay in France, the Spitfire Mk XIV arrived at Richard Grace’s workshop in Sywell in early 2021 and changed its registration to G-SXIV. After extensive restoration RM927 eventually arrived in France, flown by Richard Grace himself, early August 2022.

Photo Gallery