Spitfire Auctioned For $4.8 Million | Aero-News Network
Aero-News Network
RSS icon RSS feed
podcast icon MP3 podcast
Subscribe Aero-News e-mail Newsletter Subscribe

Airborne Unlimited -- Most Recent Daily Episodes

Episode Date

Airborne-Monday

Airborne-Tuesday

Airborne-Wednesday Airborne-Thursday

Airborne-Friday

Airborne On YouTube

Airborne-Unlimited-07.07.25

Airborne-NextGen-07.08.25

AirborneUnlimited-07.09.25

Airborne-AffordableFlyers-06.26.25

AirborneUnlimited-06.27.25

Sat, Jul 11, 2015

Spitfire Auctioned For $4.8 Million

Seller Donates Proceeds To Wildlife And Veterans' Charities

The airplane had been shot down on May 24, 1940. And while the pilot survived to fly another day, Spitfire P9374 was abandoned to the sands of the beach in Calais, where it was covered and remained until it was rediscovered in 1980. It was in surprisingly good condition, given where it had lain for 40 years.

Fast forward to 2000, when British art collector Thomas Kaplan purchased the aircraft, and had it restored to flying condition ... one of only two flying examples of a Spitfire known to exist. Her first flight since 1940 took place in August, 2011.

On July 9th, the airplane was sold at auction by Christie's, according to a report appearing in Deutsche Welle, and it fetched $4.8 million from an undisclosed buyer.

The sale was held to commemorate the 75th anniversaries of the Battle of France and the Battle of Britain. Kaplan donated the proceeds of the auction to the Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund and the wildlife charity Panthera.

We hope that undisclosed buyer will take their "new" airplane out and show it off in the skies above ... well wherever he or she happens to be.

(Image from file)

FMI: https://www.rafbf.org, www.panthera.org

Advertisement

More News

Airborne 06.30.25: US v ADS-B Misuse, NatÂ’l STOL Fire, Volocopter Resumes

Also: Netherlands Donates 18 F16s, 2 737s Collide On Ramp, E-7 Wedgetail Cut, AgEagle's 100th In S Korea The Pilot and Aircraft Privacy Act was introduced in the House by Represent>[...]

Aero-News: Quote of the Day (07.06.25)

“This delivery represents more than just a milestone. It symbolizes our shared commitment to national security and our unwavering support for the men and women who serve on t>[...]

ANN's Daily Aero-Linx (07.06.25)

Aero Linx: Vintage Wings of Canada Foundation Vintage Wings of Canada is a not-for-profit, charitable organization with a collection of historically significant aircraft and is run>[...]

Classic Aero-TV: Portrait of the Army Aviation Heritage Foundation

From 2023 (YouTube Edition): To Preserve and Teach Incorporated as a non-profit domestic corporation in June 1997, the Army Aviation Heritage Foundation (AAHF) is a one-of-a-kind, >[...]

Airborne-NextGen 07.01.25: Volocopter Returns, B23 Energic, Iran Tech In UAVs?

Also: Air Taxis May Be Close, AgEagle Sells 100th, VAI Likes Bedford, AURA AERO Cleans Up Volocopter has resumed work towards the certification of its VoloCity eVTOL, this time und>[...]

blog comments powered by Disqus



Advertisement

Advertisement

Podcasts

Advertisement

© 2007 - 2025 Web Development & Design by Pauli Systems, LC