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The Shuttleworth Collection's Spitfire Vc was built by Westland Aircraft at Yeovil and was issued to No. 310 (Czech) Squadron at Duxford in 1942. While serving with No. 310 Squadron, AR501 escorted many USAAF B17 and B24 bombers, indeed AR501 may well have escorted the famous B17 'Memphis Belle'. AR501 was later taken on by the RAF's Central Gunnery School and was used postwar by Loughborough College as an instructional airframe. It was transferred to The Shuttleworth Collection in 1961 and was restored to flying condition for the film 'The Battle of Britain'. It was stored for a while after filming, until restoration to authentic wartime condition was carried out by a volunteer team at Duxford. Over the winter of 2000/2001 AR501 was repainted and elliptical wingtips were refitted, returning the aircraft to the condition in which it was delivered to 310 Squadron. It is currently undergoing a thorough ground-up restoration in the workshop at Old Warden. c/n WASP/20/223.
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