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    This page documents a history of a specific aircraft. The details provided vary from aircraft to aircraft and are dependent on the research and amount of data uploaded to the Aerial Visuals database.

    Airframe Family: Supermarine Spitfire
    Latest Model:Spitfire FR.XIVe
    Last Military Serial:TZ138 RCAF
    Construction Number:6S-676505
    Last Civil Registration:C-GSPT
    Latest Owner or Location:British Columbia Institute of Technology, Vancouver International Airport, Vancouver, British Columbia

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    Dates

    Event

    Constructed as a Spitfire FR.XIVe.
    Ordered with Contract No. 898038539 dated 23 February 1945. Built at Aldermanston Factory.

    Taken on Strength/Charge with the Royal Air Force with s/n TZ138.

    June 1945

    Transferred to Rolls-Royce, Hucknall.
    Sent from Aldermanston to Hucknhall for preparation for cold weather testing.

    Transferred to No. 47 Maintenance Unit, RAF Station Sealand.
    Accepted by No. 47.

    11 November 1945

    Transported by ship.
    Transported to Canada on the S.S. Alder Province.

    20 December 1945

    Transported by rail
    Arrived in Edmonton, AB, after landing at the port of arrival.

    Taken on Strength/Charge with the Royal Canadian Air Force with s/n TZ138.

    24 December 1945

    Transferred to 24th, Edmonton, AB.
    Unloaded along with spares and assembled by the 24th.

    25 January 1946

    First post-reassembly Flight.
    Flown by First Lieutenant Laubman.

    11 February 1946

    Transferred to North West Air Command.

    Used for various forms of cold weather testing along with a number of other aircrft types. Not regularly flown.

    June 1946

    Engine Replaced.

    From 9 July 1946 to 11 July 1946

    Grounded in Penhold, AB, while enroute to Winnipeg, MB.

    From Circa October 1946 to Circa November 1946

    Testing stops.

    December 1946

    Testing resumes.

    13 January 1947

    Second trials began at Fort Nelson, British Columbia.

    28 January 1947

    Returned.

    17 February 1947

    Involved in an incident.
    Was sent to Fort Churchill in northern Manitoba for further cold weather testing. While flown by RCAF Squadron Leader Bordeaux on the 1000 mile return flight the Spit landed at The Pas to refuel. Unfortunately swung on landing, hit a snow bank and tips of the propeller were removed.

    Repaired.
    A RNFAA team was dispatched from Churchill with spares to replace the broken prop.

    28 February 1947

    Ferry flight.
    Flown from The Pas to Namao, BC.

    From September 1947 to October 1947

    Unserviceable.

    1 December 1947

    Testing resumes.

    1 March 1948

    The census has the airframe in good condition with 150.15 hours on airframe.

    8 March 1948

    Involved in an incident.
    Damaged propeller on short landing and Namao.

    30 August 1948

    Transferred to Winter Environmental Establishment.

    1949


    Photographer: Harold G. Martin
    Notes: Butch MacArthur was entered in the 1949 Cleveland Air Races in this MK XIVE Spitfire. Harold G. Martin photo.

    With the completion of testing the aircraft was declared surplus to requirements.

    Transferred to War Assets.

    21 July 1949

    Awaiting disposal in Edmonton, AB.

    3 August 1949

    DOT Air Registration documents submitted to District Controller in Ottawa.

    4 August 1949

    To Ken Brown and James McArthur.
    Sold to Brown and McArthur for $1,250.

    From Air Classics Magazine: The War Assets Corporation lists J.H.G. McArthur, c/o RCAF Station, Edmonton, Alberta, as owner. Ken Brown has stated that this was done so the aircraft could more easily clear customs into the United States for participation in the Cleveland National Air Races.

    25 August 1949

    Assigned civil registration: CF-GMZ

    Raced as #80.
    In preparation for the Cleveland National Air Races the aircraft was maintained in stock configuration but the paint was stripped and the metal was polished. Red trim was added. The logo of the sponsor, Imperial Oil in Toronto, was added.

    DOT certificate of serviceability granted Class F racing for record.

    James McArthur qualified the Spitfire at Cleveland National Air Races with a speed of 370.110 MPH.

    From 3 September 1949 to 5 September 1949

    Raced as #80.
    Qualified as an alternate. Competed at the National Air Races Cleveland in the Thompson Trophy Reciprocating Division race. The primary pilot was JHG McArthur. Qualified in 12th place with an average speed of 370.110 mph.

    From 3 September 1949 to 5 September 1949

    Raced as #80.
    Competed at the National Air Races Cleveland in the Tinnerman Trophy race. The primary pilot was J H G McArthur. Qualified in 6th place with an average speed of 370.110 mph. Raced in the Championship race. Finished in 3rd place with an average speed of 359.565 mph.

    4 September 1949


    Photographer: Charles M. Daniels / San Diego Air and Space Museum Archive
    Notes: at the 1949 Cleveland Air Races

    4 September 1949


    Photographer: Charles M. Daniels / San Diego Air and Space Museum Archive

    4 September 1949

    McArthur went on to come in third in the Tinnerman Trophy Race at 359.565 mph.

    Early the next morning McArthur left with the Spitfire and the prize money to an unknown destination.

    7 September 1949

    To Jessie Bristow, Miami, FL.
    McArthur actually flew the Spitfire to Miami where he sold the plane to well-known aerobatic pilot Jessie Bristow for $1000.

    26 October 1949

    Assigned civil registration: N20E

    9 February 1950

    To Richard McNally, Miami, FL keeping c/r N20E.

    By 1951

    To Fulgencio Batista, Hollywood, FL.

    1951

    Damaged.
    Damaged in Florida by Castro supporters.

    From 14 December 1951 to By 1957

    To Iba Trading Corp./Alvin R. Iba, Miami, FL keeping c/r N20E.
    IBA was a business specializing in the buying and selling of military aircraft and equipment.

    25 January 1952

    A sale to the Dominican Air Force was arranged. Applied to State Department to export TZ138 for sale ($7500) in Dominican Republic. The negotiations came to an end when the propellar was damged by a truck prior to delivery.

    Abandoned.
    Abandoned and sabotaged at Hollywood, FL.

    1952

    Seized by the US Customs Service.

    The airframe passed through the hands of various owners with the condition deteriorating.

    26 February 1952

    To unknown owner with c/r N20E.

    1952

    To U. S. Customs Service, Miami, FL.
    Found in Hollywood, Florida. Sabotaged and abandoned. Seized by US Customs in June 1952.

    9 November 1957

    On behalf of the owner stored with/at Iba Corporation, Miami, FL.

    Circa 1957


    Photographer: Ken Wilson
    Notes: This was in MIA.

    6 January 1958

    To Robert Geoffrey, Orlando, FL with new c/r N5505A.

    1960

    To Lloyd B. Milner, Minneapolis, MN.

    To John L. Russell.

    22 February 1960

    To Lee Fairbrother, Rosemount, MN keeping c/r N5505A.

    From 1963 to By 1968

    To Confederate AF/Harvey J. Ferguson, McAllen, TX.

    5 December 1964

    Assigned civil registration: N5505A

    From 4 November 1968 to 1970

    To Charles Leidel, Fergus Falls, MN keeping c/r N5505A.

    Restored.

    2 March 1970

    Crashed.
    Crash landing at Edcouch, TX, during a ferryflight to Harlington. Resulted from an engine overheating and coolant hose rupture, forward visability obscured by stream, partial loss of power and forced landing. Damaged wing and crushed radiator.

    1970

    At this point the airfrarme existed as a dismantled restoration project.

    11 April 1971

    To Jack Arnold, Brantford, ON.
    Transferred to Mr. Arnold in damaged condition.

    Transported by ground.
    Moved to Ontario for static display.

    From 3 December 1971 to By 1972

    To Max R. Hoffman, Fort Collins, CO.

    June 1974

    To Don Plumb, Windsor, ON.

    1978

    To Ray Jones, Ponitac, MI.

    From By 1979 to By 1987

    To Leonard A. Tanner, New Braintree, CT.

    Civil registration N138TZ reserved but not taken up.

    From 1979 to 1981

    Loaned to Bradley Air Museum, Windsor Locks, CT.

    From 24 October 1988 to 1990

    To DK Precision/Don L. Knapp, Fort Lauderdale, FL with new c/r N138TZ.

    Assigned civil registration: N5505A

    November 1988

    Civil registration N180RB reserved but not taken up.

    From 1990 to 1991

    To unknown owner with c/r N5505A.

    Based at Lone Star Flight Museum, Scholes Field, Galveston, TX.
    View the Location Dossier


    Photographer: Steve Hudek Collection
    Notes: MacArthurs Spitfire from the 1949 Cleveland races at points unknown. At least this aircraft survived to fly again.

    From 1991 to 1994

    To Bill Tiger Destefani, Bakersfield, CA keeping c/r N5505A.
    Traded for P-40 c/r N1232N.

    Restoration started.
    The work was started in Galveston, TX.

    1992

    Transported by ground.
    Moved from storage in Texas to Shafter, CA.

    From By 1992 to By 1998

    Restoration started.
    The work was carried out at Shafter.

    Circa 13 May 1998

    Certificate of airworthiness for N5505A (SPITFIRE MARK XIV, TZ-138) issued.

    From 13 May 1998 to 2000

    To Liberty Aero Corporation, Santa Monica, CA keeping c/r N5505A.

    1998

    Transported by ground.
    Moved to Van Nuys, CA.

    Restoration completed.
    Markings Applied: TZ138
    Finished in RAF markings.

    5 January 1999

    First post-restoration Flight.
    Test flown by Bruce Lockwood at Van Nuys, CA.

    Markings Applied: TZ138
    Finished in RAF markings.

    3 April 2000

    Civil registration, N5505A, cancelled.
    Exported to Canada.

    Circa 18 May 2000

    Certificate of airworthiness for C-GSPT (FR-MK. XIVE, TZ-138) issued.

    18 May 2000

    To Robert Jens, Richmond, BC with new c/r C-GSPT.

    2000

    Ferry flight.
    Delivered from Santa Monica, CA, to Vancouver, BC.

    Based at British Columbia Institute of Technology, Vancouver International Airport, Vancouver, BC.
    View the Location Dossier

    18 May 2000

    To unknown owner with c/r C-GSPT.

    2006


    Photographer: John


    This dossier is waiting for review by an editor.This airframe dossier is based on
    unreviewed imported data.
    If you can verify the documented history or add to it with additional text and/or photos please feel free to do so by using the upload tool and the history editor.

    Credits
    Data for airframe dossiers come from various sources. The following were used to compile this dossier...

    Print Sources
    Air Racing Results by Gary Williams
    Racing Planes and Air Races A Complete History, Series 1, Volume 4, 1946-Present by Reed Kinert
    Warbirds Directory, 5th Edition by Geoff Goodall

    Internet Sources
    Air Classics
    Euro Demobbed by Horrex, Ray, Boulanger, Dunn, McGhee and Wood
    Federal Aviation Administration in the United States of America
    Transport Canada

    Individual Contributors
    David Brown
    Mike Henniger

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