Built at Castle Bromwich in 1941, this Spitfire had an amazing front-line operational career spanning almost 4 years. The aircraft was initially allocated to 222 (Natal) Squadron at North Weald on 22 August 1941 but was soon re-allocated to 130 Squadron with whom it flew several convoy patrols and also escort patrols to the daylight bombing raids against the battle cruisers Scharnhorst and Gneisenau in December 1941. In June 1942, was delivered to 133 (Eagle) Squadron at Biggin Hill. She flew 29 operational missions with this unit, including 4 sorties on 19 August 1942 during the fierce aerial battles in support of the Dieppe Raid, her pilots being credited with one Do217 destroyed and one damaged during these combats. She continued to fly operationally up to July 1944, serving with 242 (Canadian) and 416 and 402 (RCAF) Squadrons. With 402 Squadron she flew numerous cover patrols over the Normandy invasion beach heads on D-Day itself (6 June 1944) and on subsequent days.
