Seeking Peter Arnold re UB425

[Alex Smart]

Hello Peter,

Thank you for responding.

Thank you Ruy for alowing this poston this site.

Thank you Also for the web address which i had not seen earlier Dave.

Sorry to have had to contact you via this site Peter. I had your card years ago and thought you might have moved on from that address. Pre e-mail days.

The details re the "Real" UB425.

I see from the photos, thank you for shareing them with us, that the "H" is in higher case. The other details are also welcome.

It's just that over the years I have seen published , several photos of the Hatoz Spitfire on a plinth and down on its wheels.

The Israeli's must have spent a great deal of time painting her, in different colours over the years.

1/. "Fly Past" Sept 1990 on the plinth marked with an arrow all along the fuselage side with the number "105" centred by the cockpit.and what looks like a three colour sceme on upper sides.Spinner is dark in colour.

2/. In the same magazine a colour photo of the same Spitfire showing the three coloured upper sides qith Shield on fin and striped rudder with approx 14 red/white diagonal stripes. This photo also shows 4 kill markings in small roundel form on the engine cowling. Spinner is red in colour.

3/. "Fly Past" March 2005 shows the Spitfire at Hatzor firstly in a paint striped condition ,on wheels said to be about 1997.

4/. Also on the same page there are two more photos of the same Spitfire marked on the engine cover sides with a white (?) "105", she has camoflage in these two pics but the rudder has horizontal stripes might be yellow or red and black there are not so many stripes , only about 10 in all.These were said to be about 1967, in June.
No side stripe/arrow is visible and there are no kill marking visible.

5/. There is a good photo of this Spitfire as she is now , also in this issue, marked up as 2011-"26".

6/. In Air Enthusiast Jan/Feb 1999 there are also two photos of her, one on the plinth and the other on a 4 wheel frame in a striped down condition. These two photos show her with the markings as outlined above in 2 . Said to be in December 1989.

7/. In Spitfire International there is a photo of her that shows what to me look like the earlier horizontal rudder markings , the "105" on the engine side covers but this photo shows five kill markings also, this time in a different position than earlier noted.Spinner looks dark colour could be red.

I just wondered if there was two Spitfires at Hatzor for exhibition, that were swaped over now and again for display purposes. And reported as being one only ?

While on the subject, what became of the three that were interned in Lebanon ? and has there been any reports of Spitfire parts or bits found in Iraq ?

Thanks again Peter for your help.

Has any other reader any info on the Spitfires noted here that they have that so far has not come out yet ??? Now's the time.

Thanks again to all

Alex