The Late Sir Tim Wallis's Spitfires

While putting together a tribute post to Sir Tim Wallis I discovered that we had not covered his Spitfires on the blog, so with assistance from several people here are the histories of  his Mk XVI and Mk XIV:

Vickers Supermarine 361 Spitfire MkXVI (c/n CBAF 10895) serial TB863 coded FU-P

It was taken on charge as TB863 with the Royal Air Force on 27-02-1945, to 433 Squadron 04-1945.  Saw 6 weeks of wartime service with the RAF flying 12 missions.

Engine fail on take-off 17-07-1951 Undercarriage retracted for forced landing to prevent overturn.  Struck off charge from the RAF.

It then went to MGM Pinewood Film Studio as a film prop for the film "Reach for the Sky"..

It was registered G-CDAN to J Parks and W Francis at Booker on 30-11-1982.

First engine run 06-07-1988 at Duxford.  First Flight after restoration 14-09-1988.

It then went to Patina Ltd, Jersey, Channel Islands on 23-09-1988.

Cancelled from the UK register on 16-01-1989.

Shipped to NZ 13-10-1988.

Registered ZK-XVI to the Alpine Deer Group Ltd of Wanaka on 17-01-1989.  It was painted in the exact livery it wore with 453 Squadron RAF on its first sortie across the English Channel in May 1945 as TB863 with the codes FU-P.

First flight in NZ at Wanaka 25-01-1989 

Damaged 29-01-1989 landed short at Waipukarau in an emergency landing.

Rebuilt and flown again on 07-04-1990.

Swung off the runway at Woodbourne, undercarriage collapsed 18-11-1992.

Test flown again on 01-1994.

Cancelled from the NZ Register on 26-05-2006. as Sold Abroad.

It became VH-XVI2 for the Temora Aviation Museum, Temora NSW on 17-07-2006.

First flight in Australia on 07-09-2006.

Now owned by the Commonwealth of Australia represented by the Royal Australian Air Force 100 Squadron, RAAF Base Point Cook, Victoria, still in the same scheme as TB863 FU-P.

Tim Wallis taxies his Spitfire Mk XVI ZK-XVI on arrival at an airshow celebrating 25 years of the Walsh Flying School at Matamata in 1991, and below parked up.

ZK-XIV2 Supermarine 379 Spitfire FR MkXIV (c/n 65-648269) serial NH799

Built At Aldermanston and taken on charge as NH799 with the Royal Air Force/ 03/1945.

9MU Cosford 16-03-1945. To 215 MU. To India with the RAF 02-07-1945.  To Air Command South East Asia 09-08-1945 with 132 Squadron.

To 9 Squadron Royal Indian Air Force 05-1946.  Written off after engine cylinder blew during ground run at Bhopul 27-02-1947.  To Indian Air Force 12-1947, saw combat with the IAF against Pakistan in 1948.

Recovered from India by Doug Arnold and shipped to UK in 1981.

To The Fighter Collection (Stephen Grey), Duxford.  Stored from 1981 to 1985, then under restoration from 1986 to 1993.

Registered G-BUZU to Patina Ltd, Duxford 01-7-1993.

To Historic Flying Ltd, Audley End for completion of restoration.  Test flown 21-01-1994.

Shipped to NZ 14-02-1994. UK registration cancelled 04-03-1994.

Registered ZK-XIV2 to Alpine Deer Group Ltd, Wanaka on 28-03-1994 as NH799 coded AP-V.

Crashed on take off Wanaka 02-01-1996.

Remains to Aeromotive Ltd, Brian Hare and Paul Page.  Rebuild commenced by Avspecs at Rotorua.

To Pacific Aerospace Corporation Ltd, Hamilton 17-06-1996.

To Aviation Trading Co Ltd, Cambridge 01-06-1999.

To Avspecs Ltd, Auckland 03-07-2007.

To Provenance Fighters Inc. 2007.

To Murray Miers The Chariots of Fire Collection, Omaka 2009

First flight after 02-01-1996 crash on 02-04-2015 at Ardmore as NH799  coded T in Air Command South East Asia colours.

Attended Classic Fighters airshow at Omaka 04-2015.  Arrived in dramatic fashion at dusk.

Delivered to Omaka 08-06-2015. Registered to The Chariots of Fire Fighter Collection Ltd, Blenheim 16-06-2015.  You can see a photo of the restored ZK-XIV2 serial NH799 coded T HERE

Two images of Tim Wallis's Spitfire Mk XIV ZK-XIV2 taken at Wanaka over Easter 1994.  The pilot would have been Mark Hanna.

Sadly this was the Spitfire that Sir Tim Wallis crashed on take off at Wanaka on 2/1/96, being very badly injured.  It was suspected that he was caught out by the RR Griffon engine turning in the opposite direction to that of his Mk XVI Spitfire's RR Merlin engine which required the opposite rudder input on take off