[Stig Jarlevik]

Alain

It seems your details are from the Shacklady/Morgan book?
Their details are not complete and (my opinion) somewhat difficult to read.

The way you have written the details underline my opinion.
Luckily Jim Halley published a very detailed account of the Spitfire Mk Is and here is what he had to say about R6987

8 MU: 23.7.1940
65 Sq: 11.8.1940, undershot night landing and struck house, Dyce, Cat W 26.11.1940 (F/O W Szulkowski - Polish - injured)
Scottish Aviation: 3.12.1940
45 MU: 8.4.1941
132 Sq: 17.7.1941, landed with undercarriage retracted, selected down but failed to check lights, Peterhead, Cat B, 19.9.1941 (Sgt A Stewart OK)
ROS (repaired on site) by Vickers 24.9.1941
repaired date 27.9.1941
132 Sq: 27.9.1941, pilot failed to lock undercarriage down which collapsed on landing, Peterhead, Cat B, 20.10.1941 (P/O F J Sherlock OK)
Scottish Aviation: 1.11.1941 (aircraft awaiting collection 25.3.1942)
45 MU: 12.4.1942
215 MU: 23.9.1942
3 PATP (Packed Aircraft Transit Pool): 25.9.1942
to Portugal (departure) 7.1.1943, arrived 20.1.1943

In Portugal it most likely received serial number 376 and code XZ-G "Escadrille XZ" at Ota(this is deduction only, but from preserved/known details, it seems the Portuguese numbered/coded their Mk I in delivery + ex serial number order!)
This unit later became Escadrille No 3 within the Grupo Supranumerário de Aviacão de Caca.

Unfortunately the Portuguese records are not as available as the British ones are, and it also seems big pieces are still missing, perhaps never to be found.
With that I have no final fate in Portuguese service for this aircraft.

Finally, I was also a bit intrigued by the use of "City of Lancaster" which I can only assume is a reference to R6987 being a Presentation Aircraft. If it is such a reference at least I cannot locate a single Spitfire so named.

Cheers
Stig