On February 22, 2025, the Commemorative Air Force (CAF) Southern California Wing celebrated a remarkable milestone—the 80th birthday of its iconic Supermarine Spitfire Mk XIV. The commemorative event took place at the Wing’s home base at Camarillo Airport and featured a special presentation that highlighted the aircraft’s storied history and ongoing restoration efforts. Attendees were treated to an in-depth look at the journey of this historic aircraft. Volunteers and maintenance personnel shared insights into the extensive engineering work currently underway, which centers around upgrading the engine cooling system in preparation for the Spitfire’s return to flight. The celebration concluded with a traditional slice of birthday cake and a powerful engine run of the soon-to-be-airworthy Spitfire, NH749.
The Supermarine Spitfire FR.XIVe, serial number NH749, has a rich heritage spanning multiple continents and decades. Constructed on February 21, 1945, the aircraft was initially delivered to the Royal Air Force (RAF). Later that year, it was shipped to India, arriving in Karachi, and in 1947, it was transferred to the Indian Air Force (IAF), where it received the serial number T3 and bore the markings “54.” By the end of that year, on December 31, 1947, NH749 was designated as an instructional airframe.
In 1977, aviation enthusiasts Ormond and Wensley Haydon-Baillie recovered the aircraft from Patna Air Base in India. It was transported to Duxford, UK, in 1978. Between 1978 and 1980, ownership passed to Keith and Alan Wickenden of Hemel Hempstead. On April 11, 1980, the aircraft was registered with the civil registration G-MXIV and restoration began at Cranfield, where it carried the markings “L, NH749.” The Spitfire took to the skies again in 1983, following its initial restoration. By February 1985, Alan Wickenden had relocated NH749 to Buckwish Farm in Henfield, Sussex. The British civil registration was canceled on May 15, 1985, and the aircraft was subsequently registered in the United States as N749DP. David G. Price of Portland, Oregon, became its new owner, and NH749 was shipped to Chino, California, for reassembly. It completed its first post-reassembly flight on July 24, 1985.
The aircraft later joined the Museum of Flying at Santa Monica Municipal Airport, where it was displayed and participated in several airshows. From March 23 to 26, 1995, NH749 competed in the Phoenix 500 Air Races’ Unlimited Stock category as race #14, with Bruce Lockwood as the primary pilot. The Spitfire qualified in fourth place with an average speed of 346.835 mph but did not start in Heat 1A. It later raced in the Consolation round, finishing sixth with an average speed of 256.618 mph.
In 2003, NH749 was stationed with the CAF Southern California Wing at Camarillo Airport. By March 6, 2012, the aircraft had been transferred to the American Airpower Heritage Flying Museum in Midland, Texas. As of August 24, 2015, it was listed under the same museum, now based in Dallas, Texas. Throughout its long and eventful life, NH749 has undergone multiple restorations and ownership changes, underscoring its lasting importance in aviation history. Today, eight decades after it first rolled off the production line, the aircraft continues to inspire. With its powerful Griffon engine and distinctive silhouette, NH749 stands as a tribute to British engineering and serves as a living reminder of the Spitfire’s global legacy. To learn more about the Commemorative Air Force (CAF) Southern California Wing and its Spitfire, visit www.cafsocal.com.
Watch the full presentation and engine run in the video below:
