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By: - 18th February 2010 at 10:40 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
EN145 - '78'
SL653 - '26'
There is another one there as well, the airworthy all-black '57' - TE554
By: - 18th February 2010 at 10:47 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Just don't ask them about it. They will deny they have them!
By: - 18th February 2010 at 11:47 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Thanks for the quick response
Paul
By: - 18th February 2010 at 11:55 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Just don't ask them about it. They will deny they have them!
Probably got someone else's data plate:rolleyes:
By: - 18th February 2010 at 12:01 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Is the black one still flown?
By: - 18th February 2010 at 12:17 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
I think it's flown for ceremonial purposes/displays. It was definitely flown for Ezer Weizman's funeral a few years back.
By: - 18th February 2010 at 12:42 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Although it was the 50th Anniversary of the State of Israel in 2008 Black 57 was not seen at Hatzerim, either static or in the air.
I understand the tongue in cheek ref to false i.d. but I asked my question because EN145 is often quoted, and refered to as 'being confirmed'. But this is a very early airframe and the Morgan/Shacklady book referer to EN145 as being with the Mediterrainean Allied Air Force until transfered to Indian Air Force on 26-4-45 and serial 4116 on 26-6-47. So how did it end up in the Israeli Museum ? Could the identity have been taken from replacement parts form at former RAF bases with Israel ?
Paul
By: - 18th February 2010 at 13:21 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
I doubt the IAF would confirm any serial. I once asked them to confirm the ID of A Belgian Fouga in their museum. The response I got was "What Fouga, we don't know about a Fouga and we sure never had a Belgian Fouga".
Meanwhile it's a well known fact they bought several Ex-Belgian Fouga's in the 80's. They never flew with them and were sold on to private buyers, but one stayed behind and is now in IAF colors in the museum marked as "212". Maybe since they deny it exist, they can donate that ghost Fouga to me?:p
By: - 18th February 2010 at 13:25 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
TE554 has flown in June 2009.
Photos here: http://www.flying-wings.com/2009/hatzerim-israel-firepower-demo.html
By: - 18th February 2010 at 13:27 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Stunning.
By: - 18th February 2010 at 14:01 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Wasn't EN145 found stamped in a fueltank cover during restoration?
Mark should know, or is it all in the book?
;)
Cees
By: - 18th February 2010 at 14:17 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
TE554 is absolutely stunning. I was happy to see it in 2007, but wondered if they actually did fly the Spit any more. Good to see it in the air. It's a superb color scheme.
By: - 18th February 2010 at 14:37 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
That is a beautiful colour scheme, she looks great.
By: - 18th February 2010 at 17:28 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Wasn't EN145 found stamped in a fueltank cover during restoration?
Mark should know, or is it all in the book?
;)
Cees
Exactly why I asked the question. A fuel cover or other easily removable panel does not identify the airframe.
By: - 18th February 2010 at 18:01 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
EN145 served with the Italian air force as MM4116 and with the Israeli air force as 2078/78. The real identity of white “26” (SL653) in Israeli service was 2028/28 and not 2011/26.
All the best
Wings48
By: - 18th February 2010 at 21:21 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
EN145 served with the Italian air force as MM4116 and with the Israeli air force as 2078/78. The real identity of white “26” (SL653) in Israeli service was 2028/28 and not 2011/26.All the best
Wings48
Now that does make sense, the decode in the Morgan/Shacklady book had IAF Indian Air Force. Many thanks
By: - 20th February 2010 at 15:21 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Wasn't EN145 found stamped in a fueltank cover during restoration?
Mark should know, or is it all in the book?
;)
Cees
As Mark is away in sunnier climes at present it falls to me to confirm that EN145 was found on a number of panels when this Spitfire was examined at Carmiel in 1989. The clinchers were the cockpit plate (6S-240837) and firewall plate (HAI/6S-223490).
Yes Cees - it will all be in the book!
And if all goes to plan it will be at L.... :)
By: - 21st February 2010 at 20:14 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
As Mark is away in sunnier climes at present it falls to me to confirm that EN145 was found on a number of panels when this Spitfire was examined at Carmiel in 1989. The clinchers were the cockpit plate (6S-240837) and firewall plate (HAI/6S-223490).Yes Cees - it will all be in the book!
And if all goes to plan it will be at L.... :)
Identifying this Spitfire back in 1991,true an RAF serial EN145 was stencilled on an engine side cowling, but it was more subtle than that. 20-78 was the acknowleged Iraeli serial and this put it firmly in the the Italian rather than the Czech camp. The construction numbers from both the firewall and the cockpit plate give evidence of being in the very early Mk IX territory. The Czech Spitfires, almost to the serial, are all from a very close batch of new build aircraft in the TE5** and SL6** range...difficult, but the Italian Spitfires shipped to Israel were drawn from over the full serial range of Mark IX's, with in many case several hundred machines between possibles. Analysis of the possibles in conjuction with the c/n's showed EN145 to be the RAF ID beyond reasonable doubt.
Mark....steaming south at 18 knots with a pleasant 82 degrees f.
It will all be in the book :)
Posts: 674
By: CADman - 18th February 2010 at 10:34 - Edited 2nd October 2019 at 11:40
Can anybody confirm the correct RAF identities of the two Spitfire IX's currently in the Israeli Air Force museum at Hatzerim