[Alex Smart]

Hello,

With appologies to other readers.

Am hopeful of contacting Peter Arnold with regard to Burmese Spitfire UB425

In a recent "Fly Past" magazine issue there is mention of this aircraft being serial number 2028 Squadron number "34" then to UB425 and again as 2028.

There is also note by Shlomo Aloni that in one of Peter Arnold's articles in earlier times this aircraft was refered to as being 2028 "38".

Again in a "Fly Past" magazine Peter say's Quote
20-38 is said by Israeli researchers to be the serial of the pylon mounted machine deepinside the sensitive air base at Hatzor end of quote.

The AMU document (shown in the recent issue) has previous number of a/c 653, it also shows the engine number as Rolls Royce Merlin 66 serial number 190183/484929.

If we assume that the old RAF serial number is SL653 (which was one of the first 50 delivered to Israel from Czechoslovakia) then can we in any way at all match the engine number to SL653 at any time in its life ?

We also have from the same aircraft a construction number SH/CBAF/IX578.

From earlier correspondence with you on Israeli Spitfires many years ago it came to light that the "SH" was for Short & Harland.

But if the letters were "Sh" that meant CBAF dispersal sites, Shrewsbury.

Do we know if the "H" is indeed in high key or low key ?

If we accept 578 then it can only have been TE578, again one of the first 50 delivered to Israel.

TE578 was an ex 312(RAF) Squadron Spitfire coded "DU" (Anyone knoe the indevidual a/c letter ?) became "MP-3" in Czech AF use. In "Czechoslovak Spitfires in Detail" by Jirí Rajlick is noted as being sold to Israel as 2038.

There is a great photo of "MP-3" on page 3 of "Soumrak Králó Vzduchu" by Jirí Fidler & Jirí Rajlich.

SL653 was also an ex 312(RAF) Squadron Spitfire coded "DU" (again Anyone know the indevidual a/c letter ?) became "MP-9" in Czech AF use.

A photo taken in Cyprus shows the 1st UB425 with the rounded Rudder.

I have also seen that "MP-9" was unusual as this was the only Spitfire delivered to Czechoslovakia with a rounded rudder all the others haveing the later pointed rudder. IIRC that was in an old "Air Pictorial" magazine.

So if we accept that SL653 MP-9 became 2028 "34" then to Burma (almost) as UB425 and returned to Israel as 2028 then to eventualy end up at Hatzor then why has she a construction number with "578" ?

TE578 became "MP-3" and reportedly 2038, we know that 2028 was numbered "34".

So if 2038 is the Spitfire that was at Hatzor then was it TE578 ?

While there it wore four kill markings were these for real or just for effect.

Hope Peter reads this and gets in touch.

Again apologies to other readers

Alex