[Graham Boak]

Mk.XIVs would obviously make more sense. Has anyone actually checked the record cards, or even the list in Spitfire The History, to see if that many aircraft were unaccounted for in Burma?

I don't want to go political: the PM is clearly speaking from his script and under these circumstances it is the right thing to publicly support such activities. Whether it is well-enough based to support such froth is another matter, but it will have been long forgotten before any failure to produce can be levelled at him. In the event of success, no doubt all credit due will be claimed.

Edit. And Mk.VIIIs even more.....