Warbirds Online recently visited the Dumfries & Galloway Aviation Museum in Scotland to view restored Supermarine Spitfire, Mk IIA P7540. This aircraft has been under restoration since 1982 when it was recovered from the waters of Loch Doon in Scotland and is a testament to the efforts of the hard working band of volunteers at Dumfries & Galloway Aviation Museum located at Tinwald Downs, Dumfries.
We were very impressed with the high quality of the Spitfire display which is housed in its own recently constructed hangar. The Spitfire has undergone a full transformation since it was recovered by Dumfries branch of the Scottish Sub-Aqua Club in 1982 for Dumfries & Galloway Aviation Museum. Other groups and businesses have assisted along the journey to have the Spitfire looking as she is today.
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- At Dumfries & Galloway Aviation Museum
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- Spitfire Mk P7540
Although about 90% of the airframe was recovered from Loch Doon near Trum, Wigtown some of the aircraft has had to be restored using new replicated components such as the wings. The aircraft is externally complete now and on display, although the work on the interior continues and it will be several years before the aircraft is complete internally.
The Rolls Royce Merlin Engine was also recovered and has been restored as well and was found to be in excellent condition. The Spitfire wears its original colors of 312 (Czechoslovak) Sqn stationed at RAF Ayr Scotland in 1941.
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- Spitfire P7540 rear view
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- Supermarine Spitfire P7540
P7540 was built as with most Spitfires at Castle Bromwich in October 1940 as a MkII and was issued to RAF 66Sqn West Malling, Kent. The aircraft saw service in the Battle of Britain and was later to serve with 609 and 266 Sqns at Biggin Hill, Kent, and Wittering, Cambridgeshire, near Stamford.
Following front line service the Spitfire went to Scotland based at Ayr with 312 Sqn and it was here that P7540 met her end on Oct 25, 1941 when it crashed into Loch Doon, Ayrshire. At the time of the crash P7540 had a total flying time of just 21 hours 25 minutes.
No trace was ever found of its pilot František Hekl, born on 24 January 1915 in Nemojany, in the Moravian region of the former Czechoslovakia. Only a glove and boot were ever recovered and presumably he remains in Loch Doon to this day. Flying Officer Hekl was an experienced pilot having flown extensively in the Czechoslovakia Air Force against the Nazi’s and then found his way to the UK where he became part of the Czech Squadrons in the RAF. He was decorated with the Czech War Cross 1939 and the Polish Virtuti Militari and in 1991 and promoted to Colonel in memoriam.
The Dumfries & Galloway Aviation Museum has an extensive collection of aircraft and engines as well as other artifacts on display. Supermarine Spitfires are rare enough but the chance to see a genuine Battle of Britain (BoB) veteran is well worth the visit on its own.
The museum is located at the Former Control Tower Tinwald Downs Road Heathhall Industiral Estate, Dumfries DG1 3PH Scotland and the directions and opening hours can be found on their website Dumfries & Galloway Aviation Museum.
© John Parker 2018