New paint job for Spit

Our new replica Mk1 Spitfire has had a makeover to reflect more accurately the history of the aircraft on which it is based.

The replica represents as closely as possible the aircraft YT-J, serial number R6775, which was the Spitfire Flying Officer Jeffrey Quill AFC flew most often during his short operational attachment to No 65 Squadron between 6 and 24 August 1940.

He used the attachment to gain experience of how the Spitfire performed under combat conditions and used that knowledge to improve subsequent marks when back at his ‘day job’.

The Trust has now had the paintwork tweaked to reflect the fact that R6775 (YT-J) was one of eight new Spitfire Mk1s to be delivered to No 65 Squadron thanks to generous sponsorship by the East India Fund. They were delivered on 15 July 1940, just five days after the start of the Battle.

The aircraft carried the inscription now seen on our replica to record the generosity of the sponsor.  On 12 August 1940, the squadron put on a display for representatives of the East India Fund and 65 later became known as the ‘East India’ Squadron.