A replica Spitfire is to be restored and put on display for the Manx public at Jurby.

The aircraft will be modified and repainted to replicate Spitfire MkIIa P7966, better known as Manxman.

It will be inscribed with the squadron letters D-B, the initials of Wing Commander Douglas Bader, who flew the aircraft.

The Spitfire arrived in the Island on Tuesday night and is waiting at the Sea Terminal docks to be transported to a Jurby airfield hangar before work can begin.

Jurby man Andrew Saunders is responsible for bringing the plane to the Island.

Mr Saunders, 45, of Lower Sartfield, set up the Manx Spitfire Appeal Fund to help with the purchase and restoration of the historic plane.

"I have sort of gone out on my own to do this", he said. "It is a big commitment and so I am going to try and raise enough money to pay for it."

"Any money that’s left over will be used to actually buy ex-spitfire pieces to make it look better."

"We are going to restore it gradually and it will be on display all the time at Jurby."

Mr. Saunders noticed the aircraft was advertised for sale in Flypast magazine and decided to pursue it.

On making inquiries he discovered that the Spitfire, which was based at Wonderland pleasure park, Newark, Nottinghamshire, was used as a prop in Yorkshire Television’s 80’s wartime drama Piece of Cake.

A total of five ‘real’ spitfires were assembled for the six-part series, along with six full-sized replicas.

Some of the replicas simply had motorised propellers but this particular one was able to taxi around the airfield locations and, luckily, it avoided a fiery screen death, unlike some of the other replicas.

"The restoration will take most of the winter. I’m not expecting it to be anything other than six months to get it into some sort of order," said Mr. Saunders.

He said the public would be able to view the Spitfire at Jurby while it was undergoing the restoration process.

For further information or donations to the Manx Spitfire Fund, contact Mr Saunders on tel. 897425.

The above newspaper article appeared in the Manx Independent, November 3, 2000.