Spitfire MKIIA P7981

[mgr]

Hiya,

Looking for pictures of the personal aircraft of the Dutch Royal Prince Bernard.

Spitfire MkIIa, P7981, Flown in the period 1941-1944.

Any picture will be appreciated.

Thanks!

Marcel

[Colin1]

Looking for pictures of the personal aircraft of the Dutch Royal Prince Bernard.
Spitfire MkIIa, P7981, Flown in the period 1941-1944. Any picture will be appreciated

Haven't found a picture yet
but you won't find many from 1941-44, it never made it out of 1941

P7981
9 Maintenance Unit - 4 February 1941
41 Sqn - 30 March 1941
145 Sqn - 28 July 1941
Force landed/crashed Burneston Yorks
Destroyed by fire Category E - 10 August 1941
Struck off Charge - 18 August 1941

[mgr]

Haven't found a picture yet
but you won't find many from 1941-44, it never made it out of 1941

P7981
9 Maintenance Unit - 4 February 1941
41 Sqn - 30 March 1941
145 Sqn - 28 July 1941
Force landed/crashed Burneston Yorks
Destroyed by fire Category E - 10 August 1941
Struck off Charge - 18 August 1941

To my sources it was completely rebuild after this crash. Still seems to little record of this, also the reason i post here.

Regards,

Marcel

[Colin1]

As I understand the RAF system for allocating damage claims to aircraft:

Category A - Damage repairable on unit by squadron personnel.
Category B - Damage repairable on unit by station workshop personnel.
Category C - Damage repairable on unit by RAF specialist team/manufacturers personnel or at RAF Maintenance Unit.
Category D - Damage repairable at manufacturers works only.
Category E - Damaged beyond economical repair.

On top of that, I can't see any airframe, having been destroyed by fire, being released back into service even if it was somehow repaired; it's not like there was a shortage of serviceable Spitfires in 1941. I'd have thought even using it for spares would be a bit dodgy.

[mgr]

Hi Colin,

Your explanation makes sense, on the other side, there are several sources (Dutch books and websites) which name this serial as the MkIIA Spitfire which was lend to His Royal Highness Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands by the RAF, over that periode of '41 to '44.

Do not know if it's a serial mixup which has begun it's own life?

Regards,

Marcel

[Airframes]

I agree with Colin; Category E means scapped, basically. Even if substantial parts of the aircraft remained, fire damage would automatically bar it from being re-used, due to loss of metal(s) integrity. Also, after 1942, the MkIIa was virtually withdrawn from service, with the MkV and then the MkIX available. Remaining airframes being either converted, stored, or used as training ot instructional aircraft. It's probable that this serial number is perhaps the only one known, and that other aircraft, of different Mark numbers, were used subsequently.