Dates

Event

Constructed as a Spitfire FR.XIVe.
Ordered with Contract No. 898038539 dated 23 February 1945. Built at Aldermanston Factory.

Taken on Strength/Charge with the Royal Air Force with s/n TZ138.

June 1945

Transferred to Rolls-Royce, Hucknall.
Sent from Aldermanston to Hucknhall for preparation for cold weather testing.

Transferred to No. 47 Maintenance Unit, RAF Station Sealand.
Accepted by No. 47.

11 November 1945

Transported by ship.
Transported to Canada on the S.S. Alder Province.

20 December 1945

Transported by rail
Arrived in Edmonton, AB, after landing at the port of arrival.

Taken on Strength/Charge with the Royal Canadian Air Force with s/n TZ138.

24 December 1945

Transferred to 24th, Edmonton, AB.
Unloaded along with spares and assembled by the 24th.

25 January 1946

First post-reassembly Flight.
Flown by First Lieutenant Laubman.

11 February 1946

Transferred to North West Air Command.

Used for various forms of cold weather testing along with a number of other aircrft types. Not regularly flown.

June 1946

Engine Replaced.

From 9 July 1946 to 11 July 1946

Grounded in Penhold, AB, while enroute to Winnipeg, MB.

From Circa October 1946 to Circa November 1946

Testing stops.

December 1946

Testing resumes.

13 January 1947

Second trials began at Fort Nelson, British Columbia.

28 January 1947

Returned.

17 February 1947

Involved in an incident.
Was sent to Fort Churchill in northern Manitoba for further cold weather testing. While flown by RCAF Squadron Leader Bordeaux on the 1000 mile return flight the Spit landed at The Pas to refuel. Unfortunately swung on landing, hit a snow bank and tips of the propeller were removed.

Repaired.
A RNFAA team was dispatched from Churchill with spares to replace the broken prop.

28 February 1947

Ferry flight.
Flown from The Pas to Namao, BC.

From September 1947 to October 1947

Unserviceable.

1 December 1947

Testing resumes.

1 March 1948

The census has the airframe in good condition with 150.15 hours on airframe.

8 March 1948

Involved in an incident.
Damaged propeller on short landing and Namao.

30 August 1948

Transferred to Winter Environmental Establishment.

1949

Photographer: Harold G. Martin
Notes: Butch MacArthur was entered in the 1949 Cleveland Air Races in this MK XIVE Spitfire. Harold G. Martin photo.

With the completion of testing the aircraft was declared surplus to requirements.

Transferred to War Assets.

21 July 1949

Awaiting disposal in Edmonton, AB.

3 August 1949

DOT Air Registration documents submitted to District Controller in Ottawa.

4 August 1949

To Ken Brown and James McArthur.
Sold to Brown and McArthur for $1,250.

From Air Classics Magazine: The War Assets Corporation lists J.H.G. McArthur, c/o RCAF Station, Edmonton, Alberta, as owner. Ken Brown has stated that this was done so the aircraft could more easily clear customs into the United States for participation in the Cleveland National Air Races.

25 August 1949

Assigned civil registration: CF-GMZ

Raced as #80.
In preparation for the Cleveland National Air Races the aircraft was maintained in stock configuration but the paint was stripped and the metal was polished. Red trim was added. The logo of the sponsor, Imperial Oil in Toronto, was added.

DOT certificate of serviceability granted Class F racing for record.

James McArthur qualified the Spitfire at Cleveland National Air Races with a speed of 370.110 MPH.

From 3 September 1949 to 5 September 1949

Raced as #80.
Qualified as an alternate. Competed at the National Air Races Cleveland in the Thompson Trophy Reciprocating Division race. The primary pilot was JHG McArthur. Qualified in 12th place with an average speed of 370.110 mph.

From 3 September 1949 to 5 September 1949

Raced as #80.
Competed at the National Air Races Cleveland in the Tinnerman Trophy race. The primary pilot was J H G McArthur. Qualified in 6th place with an average speed of 370.110 mph. Raced in the B Feature race. Finished in 3rd place with an average speed of 359.565 mph.

By 3 September 1949

To unknown owner with c/r CF-GMZ.

From 3 September 1949 to 5 September 1949

Raced as #80.
The race was from Rosemond, CA, to Cleveland. This was the first race-horse start. Apparently arrived at the National Air Races Cleveland, may have qualified and may even have competed in the Bendix R class, but we do not have any documented results (no times or placements). No results were recorded for the race.

Circa 3 September 1949

Photographer: Dick Phillips Warbird Images Col.
Notes: Photographed at the National Air Races in Cleveland, OH.

4 September 1949

Photographer: Charles M. Daniels
Notes: at the 1949 Cleveland Air Races

4 September 1949

Photographer: Charles M. Daniels

4 September 1949

McArthur went on to come in third in the Tinnerman Trophy Race at 359.565 mph.

Early the next morning McArthur left with the Spitfire and the prize money to an unknown destination.

7 September 1949

To Jessie Bristow, Miami, FL.
McArthur actually flew the Spitfire to Miami where he sold the plane to well-known aerobatic pilot Jessie Bristow for $1000.

26 October 1949

Assigned civil registration: N20E

9 February 1950

To Richard McNally, Miami, FL keeping c/r N20E.

By 1951

To Fulgencio Batista, Hollywood, FL.

1951

Damaged.
Damaged in Florida by Castro supporters.

From 14 December 1951 to By 1957

To Iba Trading Corp./Alvin R. Iba, Miami, FL keeping c/r N20E.
IBA was a business specializing in the buying and selling of military aircraft and equipment.

25 January 1952

A sale to the Dominican Air Force was arranged. Applied to State Department to export TZ138 for sale ($7500) in Dominican Republic. The negotiations came to an end when the propellar was damged by a truck prior to delivery.

Abandoned.
Abandoned and sabotaged at Hollywood, FL.

1952

Seized by the US Customs Service.

The airframe passed through the hands of various owners with the condition deteriorating.

26 February 1952

To unknown owner with c/r N20E.

1952

To U. S. Customs Service, Miami, FL.
Found in Hollywood, Florida. Sabotaged and abandoned. Seized by US Customs in June 1952.

9 November 1957

On behalf of the owner stored with/at Iba Corporation, Miami, FL.

Circa 1957

Photographer: Ken Wilson
Notes: This was in MIA.

6 January 1958

To Robert Geoffrey, Orlando, FL with new c/r N5505A.

1960

To Lloyd B. Milner, Minneapolis, MN.

To John L. Russell.

22 February 1960

To Lee Fairbrother, Rosemount, MN keeping c/r N5505A.

From 1963 to By 1968

To Confederate AF/Harvey J. Ferguson, McAllen, TX.

5 December 1964

Assigned civil registration: N5505A

From 4 November 1968 to 1970

To Charles Leidel, Fergus Falls, MN keeping c/r N5505A.

Restored.

2 March 1970

Crashed.
Crash landing at Edcouch, TX, during a ferryflight to Harlington. Resulted from an engine overheating and coolant hose rupture, forward visability obscured by stream, partial loss of power and forced landing. Damaged wing and crushed radiator.

1970

At this point the airfrarme existed as a dismantled restoration project.

11 April 1971

To Jack Arnold, Brantford, ON.
Transferred to Mr. Arnold in damaged condition.

Transported by ground.
Moved to Ontario for static display.

From 3 December 1971 to By 1972

To Max R. Hoffman, Fort Collins, CO.

June 1974

To Don Plumb, Windsor, ON.

1978

To Ray Jones, Ponitac, MI.

From By 1979 to By 1987

To Leonard A. Tanner, New Braintree, CT.

Civil registration N138TZ reserved but not taken up.

From 1979 to 1981

Loaned to New England Air Museum, Bradley International Airport, Windsor Locks, CT.
Then known as the Bradley Air Museum.
View the Location Dossier

From 24 October 1988 to 1990

To DK Precision/Don L. Knapp, Fort Lauderdale, FL with new c/r N138TZ.

Assigned civil registration: N5505A

November 1988

Civil registration N180RB reserved but not taken up.

From 1990 to 1991

To unknown owner with c/r N5505A.

Based at Lone Star Flight Museum, Scholes Field, Galveston, TX.
View the Location Dossier

Photographer: Steve Hudek Collection
Notes: MacArthurs Spitfire from the 1949 Cleveland races at points unknown. At least this aircraft survived to fly again.

From 1991 to 1994

To Bill Tiger Destefani, Bakersfield, CA keeping c/r N5505A.
Traded for P-40 c/r N1232N.

Restoration started.
The work was started in Galveston, TX.

1992

Transported by ground.
Moved from storage in Texas to Shafter, CA.

From By 1992 to By 1998

Restoration started.
The work was carried out at Shafter.

From 13 May 1998 to 2000

To Liberty Aero Corporation, Santa Monica, CA keeping c/r N5505A.

1998

Transported by ground.
Moved to Van Nuys, CA.

Restoration completed.
Markings Applied: TZ138
Finished in RAF markings.

5 January 1999

First post-restoration Flight.
Test flown by Bruce Lockwood at Van Nuys, CA.

Markings Applied: TZ138
Finished in RAF markings.

3 April 2000

Civil registration, N5505A, cancelled.
Exported to Canada.

18 May 2000

To Robert Jens, Richmond, BC with new c/r C-GSPT.

2000

Ferry flight.
Delivered from Santa Monica, CA, to Vancouver, BC.

Based at British Columbia Institute of Technology, Vancouver International Airport, Vancouver, BC.
View the Location Dossier

18 May 2000

To unknown owner with c/r C-GSPT.

2006

Photographer: John