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Re: I'm sure this Spit is no longer derelict (Warning 122k )

Posted by PeterA on Mon Feb 24, 2003 01:02:30 PM

In reply top I'm sure this Spit is no longer derelict (Warning 122k ) posted by Tony on Mon Feb 24, 2003 12:04:10 PM

: is it?
No.
TE578 (99% sure). The former pole mounted Spitfire inside the Israeli air base at Hatzor. It is 20-28 of the IDFAF and it even got as far as Cyprus painted as the original UB425 enroute to Burma. It suffered technical problems and for political reasons another Spitfire was requested to replace it. The replacement UB425 formerly 20-42 is incidently currently in the workshop at HFL painted as "UB424", its RAF serial still to be discovered.
The photograph was taken in the 'compound' at the Hatzerim museum near Beersheba and it has since been statically restored and is displayed to represent "20-11/26" of Danni Shapira the Israeli test pilot who ferried that aircraft in from Czechoslovakia on Operation Velveta II in 1948.

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