The Supermarine Spitfire Mk\u202fXIV, presented by W Air Collection, will be among the historic aircraft on display at the BAFDAYS, where it will be featured in a flying demonstration throughout the weekend. An iconic aircraft of the Second World War, it represents one of the most powerful and refined evolutions of the Spitfire family. Its sleek silhouette, Griffon engine, and operational history make it an exceptional aircraft, still capable of evoking strong emotions today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n
Built in November 1944, Spitfire RM927 is a Spitfire FR Mk\u202fXIVe, a version designed for fighter and armed reconnaissance missions at the end of the conflict. After entering service with the Royal Air Force, the aircraft was assigned from 1944 to No. 430 (CA) Squadron, a Canadian unit within the RAF. It carried out tactical reconnaissance missions over Europe following the Normandy landings and continued these operations until the end of the war. After the conflict, RM927 was transferred to the Royal Canadian Air Force, before being sold in November 1947 to the Belgian Air Force, where it received the serial SG 25.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
This Spitfire Mk\u202fXIV is particularly well known at Florennes Air Base.
Between 1947 and 1954, RM927 served with the Belgian Air Force and was based at Florennes, where it took part in post war activities, including operational use and pilot training. Under Belgian roundels, the aircraft successively carried the markings SG 25, followed by the codes 3R D and IQ W, further strengthening the historic link between this legendary aircraft and Florennes. Following an accident in 1952, the aircraft was withdrawn from service and subsequently spent several decades in storage and passed through multiple ownership changes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n
Acquired by W Air Collection in 2020, Spitfire RM927 underwent a complete restoration in the United Kingdom, at Richard Grace\u2019s workshops in Sywell. During this process, the aircraft was returned to flying condition and received the British registration G SXIV. In the summer of 2022, the aircraft moved to France, where it now flies under the registration F AYXX. Based at La Fert\u00e9 Alais, it is today one of the very few Spitfire Mk\u202fXIVs still operational in Europe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
The Mk\u202fXIV marked a major break from earlier Spitfire variants with the introduction of the Rolls Royce Griffon engine, significantly more powerful than the Merlin. This version stands out for its substantially higher speed, improved low and medium altitude performance, rapid climb rate, and a more assertive silhouette, recognizable by its five bladed propeller and enlarged tail surfaces. Designed to counter the latest enemy fighters, the Spitfire Mk\u202fXIV ranks among the most capable aircraft deployed on the European in 1945.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n
Today, Spitfire RM927 is far more than a historic aircraft. Its service under British, Canadian, and Belgian colours, its recent return to flight, and its meticulous maintenance make it a true living piece of aviation heritage. It is also the oldest aircraft of the Belgian Air Force still in flying condition, giving its presence a particularly strong symbolic significance. It is therefore with great pleasure that this exceptional aircraft\u2014and its proud owner, Mr. Brice Ohayon\u2014will be seen again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n
During the BAFDAYS weekend, the public will be able to enjoy a flying demonstration of this exceptional Spitfire Mk\u202fXIV, experience the unique sound of the Griffon engine, relive the history of an aircraft closely linked to Florennes and the Belgian Air Force, and admire one of the most iconic fighters of the Second World War in action. The presence of the W Air Collection Spitfire Mk\u202fXIV in the flying display will undoubtedly be a highlight of the event and a deeply emotional moment for all historic aviation enthusiasts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Through this article dedicated to the Spitfire Mk\u202fXIV, it is also an opportunity to highlight the Spitfire Project, an initiative devoted to the preservation, transmission, and promotion of this legendary aircraft and its strong historical ties to Florennes and the Belgian Air Force. The presence of this exceptional aircraft in a flying display perfectly reflects the spirit of the BAFDAYS, a unique event where heritage, passion, and emotion come together. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n \ud83d\udc49 To learn more about the Spitfire Project and discover the full BAFDAYS programme, visit the official event page !<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n Photo credits: B. Denet – W Air Collection – 2W IPR<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Le Supermarine Spitfire Mk\u202fXIV, pr\u00e9sent\u00e9 par W Air Collection, fera partie des a\u00e9ronefs historiques visibles lors des BAFDAYS, o\u00f9 il sera pr\u00e9sent\u00e9 en d\u00e9monstration en vol durant le week\u2011end. Avion embl\u00e9matique de la Seconde Guerre mondiale, il incarne l\u2019une des \u00e9volutions les plus puissantes et les plus abouties de la famille des Spitfire. Sa silhouette […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2455,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"saved_in_kubio":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1,92,81,93],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2453","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-non-classe","category-spitfire","category-spotters","category-warbirds"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.belgianairforcedays.be\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2453","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.belgianairforcedays.be\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.belgianairforcedays.be\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.belgianairforcedays.be\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.belgianairforcedays.be\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2453"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.belgianairforcedays.be\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2453\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2473,"href":"https:\/\/www.belgianairforcedays.be\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2453\/revisions\/2473"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.belgianairforcedays.be\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2455"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.belgianairforcedays.be\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2453"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.belgianairforcedays.be\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2453"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.belgianairforcedays.be\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2453"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}