Spitfire FR Mk.XIVe NH799 (ZK-XIV) is owned by ‘The Chariots of Fire Fighter Collection’ and based at Omaka airfield, New Zealand.
It was purchased by the Chariots of Fire Fighter Collection, who are based at Omaka, in 2010. Restored to airworthy condition by Avspecs Limited at Ardmore Airport, Auckland, after a 19 year restoration.
When I saw this photo on social media I was fascinated by the scene and felt it had to be painted. I asked and got permission from the owners. This gouache took a while to do – with all the intricacies of the Griffon engine – making for quite a challenge.
The owners gave me some wonderful comments when I sent them a copy.