Supermarine Spitfire LF.Mk.IXE TE565 is a specific, historically significant aircraft currently on display at the National Technical Museum in Prague, Czech Republic. The aircraft is considered one of the most original Spitfires in existence today. Built at Castle Bromwich with construction number CBAF.11397, it was delivered to 310(Czech) Sqn before being transferred to the Czech Air Force as 'A-712'. The aircraft was given to the Technical Museum in 1950.
310 Squadron RAF was a Czechoslovak manned fighter squadron of the RAF which had been formed at RAF Duxford in July 1940 and was the first RAF squadron to be crewed by foreign pilots – in this case escaped Czech pilots. It had been equipped initially with Hurricanes during the Battle of Britain with a score of 37 ½ victories until the aircraft were replaced with Spitfires in 1941. Between 1941 and 1945 the Squadron had several bases throughout the UK, depending on the sorties but in February 1945, it moved to RAF Manston in Kent. By the end of the conflict, the Squadron had clocked up 57 ½ victories, including four V-1 bombs shot down.
Our faithful 1:72 scale replica of this iconic Spitfire is from its final days of WWII stationed at RAF Manston. Dressed in the traditional dark sea grey and camouflage green scheme with dark grey underside, the tail band and spinner are masked in a greeny blue. Bright yellow has been applied to the black propeller tips and also to the leading edge of the wings within which the gun patches appear in bright red. The underside gun slots are painted matt black. Rusty brown exhaust pipes, matt black tyres with silver hubs are further minute but authentic details on this model. Its TE565 identity on the rear fuselage is printed in black on the pale green background band while its NN-N code is finished boldly in white on both sides of the fuselage with the RAF roundel in the centre.
You can see the actual aircraft in the Prague Technical Museum in the Czech Republic – a memorable experience for any Spitfire enthusiast.
