Some 58 years after it last flew, TE311 will be back in the air for the start of the RAF Battle of Britian Memorial Flight (BBMF) display season, after a painstaking re-build to flying condition which started in October 2001.

The article features interviews with the small team of RAF BBMF technicians mainly responsible for the rebuild: Chief Technician Paul Blackah, Corporal Nigel Bunn and Corporal Andy Bale.

TE311 is now officially on the inventory of the Flight and will be displayed at several venues throughout the 2013 RAF BBMF display season.

One of the key themes for the Flight this year is the 70th anniversary of the Dambusters raids. Flying Lancaster Bombers, a Squadron of young crews carried out one of the most audacious bombing raids of the Second World War, destroying hydro-electric dams powering the armaments factories of the Ruhr Valley.

Sqn Ldr Duncan Mason, OC BBMF said: “We will be proud to display Spitfire TE311 alongside the BBMF’s Lancaster as a flying memorial to the bravery of our RAF forefathers; their legacy of precision and tenacity shows today in our team who achieved the goal of getting TE311 back into the air. She is just brilliant to fly, and I can’t wait to display her at some of the events we have planned for this special season – people are very keen to see her in flight after they have followed the rebuild so closely.”

Spitfire TE311 is a low-back/bubble-canopy Mk XVI with ‘clipped’

wingtips. It was taken on charge by the Air Ministry on 8 June 1945, a month after the war ended, and was placed in storage. From October 1945 to February 1946, it was flown by the Handling Squadron of the Empire Central Flying School (ECFS) at Hullavington. Subsequently, after another period in store, it was used by the Ferry Pilot Training Flights at Aston Down and Benson. TE311 was grounded and transferred to non-effective stock on 13 December 1954. Subsequently the aircraft was a ‘gate guardian’ at Tangmere for 12 years and then, for over 30 years, was used as a static display exhibit at many air shows, as part of the RAF Exhibition Flight.

TE311 is painted as Spitfire XVI TB675 ‘4D-V’, the aircraft of Squadron Leader Tony Reeves DFC, who was the Commanding Officer of 74 Squadron in 1945.

The Lincolnshire’s Lancaster Association provided significant funds towards the rebuild project.

RAF UK MoD press release