Aircraft Photo of HS986 | Supermarine 394 Spitfire FR18E | India - Air Force | AirHistory.net #437211
Aircraft
Registration / Serial:HS986
Aircraft Original Type:Supermarine Spitfire
Aircraft Generic Type:Supermarine Spitfire / Seafire
Aircraft Version:Supermarine 394 Spitfire FR18E
C/n (msn):6S/699526
Operator Titles:India - Air Force
Local Operator Name:भारतीय वायु सेना
Location
City / Area:New Delhi / Central Park [ Off-Airport ]Map
Country:India
 
Photo Date:24 January 1982
Photo by:Arjun Sarup
Photo ID: 437211
Photo Comment

On a trailer during the Republic Day rehearsal in its silver finish. This Spitfire was delivered twice to the IAF, first arriving in Feb. 1946 as SM986 and was delivered to No. 320 MU, returning to the UK in June 1947. It was sold back to the IAF, arriving in Dec. 1949 and was issued serial number HS986, perhaps the only IAF Spitfire to retain the last three digits of its RAF serial. It was transferred from No. 1 BRD to No. 15 Sqn. in May 1952, suffered a landing accident and went back to No. 1 BRD. The aircraft is now displayed at IAF Museum Palam in a different paint scheme.

This photo is copyright © Arjun Sarup, and may not be used or published in any way without permission.

It was added on 5 February 2022, and has since been viewed 418 times.


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