Spitfire IIa

Description

This is a rare chance to own a piece of history. This Spitfire IIa was flown by Flight Lieutenant George Frederick Beurling, a top Canadian ace in World War II. He had 31 confirmed victories, 1 shared victory, and 9 damaged planes. The plane is being restored to flying condition by the Biggin Hill Heritage Hangar in the UK. It was built by Vickers Armstrong in February 1941 and had a Merlin XII engine with a three-blade propeller. The plane was named 'City of Birmingham'. It could fly at 370 mph at 13,000 feet and 290 mph at sea level. It held 85 gallons of fuel, giving it a range of 70-80 miles into France. It had 8 Browning .303 machine guns. In February 1943, it was transferred to the Central Gunnery School. However, it crashed in Norfolk on June 8, 1943, after an engine fire. Beurling bailed out safely. The airframe was taken out of service on June 30 with 413.5 flying hours. The airframe, cockpit, and Rolls Royce Merlin XII engine were found in 1985. The build time is estimated at 2 years.