© Claire Hartley
Spitfire PR Mk XIX PM631
Spitfire PR Mk XIX PM631 is thought to have been built at Reading and was delivered to Southampton in May 1944, where it appears to have been used for tests. Although it did not serve operationally, it is representative of similar high altitude photographic reconnaissance Spitfires which did. Spitfire PR XIXs were unarmed but could fly at 370 mph at 40,000 feet( with pressurised cockpits) and had a range of 1,500 miles. By March 1946, PM631 was at RAF Benson, where it remained until May 1949 when it was issued to 203 Advanced Flying School. After being modified for meteorological work, she was flown by civilian pilots with the Temperature and Humidity Monitoring( THUM) Flight based at Hooton Park and Woodvale from 1951 to 1957. The THUM Flight made daily ascents to 30,000ft to gather meteorological information. On 11 July 1957, PM631 was flown to Biggin Hill from
Duxford by World War Two fighter ace Gp Capt Jamie Rankin DSO * DFC *, in formation with two other THUM Flight Mk XIX Spitfires, PS853 and PS915, to form the Historic Aircraft Flight which later evolved into the BBMF. PM631 is the longest continuously serving aircraft of the BBMF and still remains in the colour scheme she wore on 11 July 1957 when the flight was established, therefore PM631 is in colours authentic to its own history and tells the story of the founding of the BBMF.