TB863, nearing the end of a long and protracted restoration to flight before export to New Zealand as ZK-XVI. Now flying in Australia as VH-XVI.

The fuselage of Bill Francis' Spitfire on loan to the HAM and recently arrived at the time of the photo. Bill purchased the aeroplane from Pinewood Studios in 1968 with a view to restoration. It was used for cockpit shots in "Reach for the Sky" and for spares at Henlow for "Battle of Britain". Bill moved it to the garden of his bungalow in Hampton Gardens, Southend, later loaning it to the HAM after partial restoration. It moved with Bill to Southam in 1977. In 1982 it was sold to Stephen Gray, becoming G-CDAN. Subsequently restored to flight as ZK-XVI, VH-XVI. Current in 2022 marked as TB863.

Under restoration to flight after decades on the ground; G-CDAN was a wartime veteran (TB863) and had later been used in a non-flyer in the 1955 movie "Reach for the Sky". From 1972 it was displayed at the Historic Aircraft Museum, Southend until this closed and it was sold into private hands. On completion of its restoration to flight, the aircraft was shipped to New Zealand in October 1988 for Tim Wallis/Alpine Fighter Collection at Wanaka, registered as ZK-XVI. In 2006 it joined the Temora Aviation Museum, Temora, NSW, Australia, taking up civil registration VH-XVI.

This Castle Bromwich-built Spitfire was delivered to the RAF on 27 February 1945 and allocated to 453 (RAAF) Squadron. In 1955 it was used in the movie Reach for the Sky, then stored at Pinewood Studios until 1967. The following year it was acquired as a restoration project, being registered G-CDAN in 1982 and making its first flight in September 1988. In January 1989 it was re-registered ZK-XVI. In 2006 it was sold to the Temora Aviation Museum, becoming VH-XVI on 17 July that year.

Ex ZK-XVI, VH-XVI was registered in July 2006.