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| Scrapyard Spitfire up for auction | Scrapyard Spitfire up for auction |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| A World War II Spitfire aeroplane, which was found in a scrapyard, is expected to fetch up to £1.5m at an auction in north London later. | A World War II Spitfire aeroplane, which was found in a scrapyard, is expected to fetch up to £1.5m at an auction in north London later. |
| The Vickers Supermarine Spitfire was built in 1944 and sold to the South African Air Force in 1948, where it served for an unknown period. | The Vickers Supermarine Spitfire was built in 1944 and sold to the South African Air Force in 1948, where it served for an unknown period. |
| In the 1970s the aircraft was found in a scrapyard in Cape Town. | In the 1970s the aircraft was found in a scrapyard in Cape Town. |
| A five-year restoration in Hampshire made the plane airworthy. Bonhams will auction it at the RAF Museum in Hendon. | A five-year restoration in Hampshire made the plane airworthy. Bonhams will auction it at the RAF Museum in Hendon. |
| Iconic aircraft | Iconic aircraft |
| The Spitfire, which played a pivotal role in the Battle of Britain in World War II, is the first airworthy aircraft of its genre to go under the hammer in 20 years. | |
| The aeroplane was originally delivered to the RAF's No 33 Maintenance Unit at Lyneham, Wiltshire, to be prepared for operation. | The aeroplane was originally delivered to the RAF's No 33 Maintenance Unit at Lyneham, Wiltshire, to be prepared for operation. |
| The mark IX aircraft, serial number SM520, was rescued from Cape Town by the late building developer and aviation enthusiast Charles Church. | |
| It changed hands several times before it was made airworthy. | It changed hands several times before it was made airworthy. |
| Bonhams' chairman Robert Brooks said: "The sale of this Spitfire touches me personally as an enthusiastic amateur pilot and a keen student of military history." | Bonhams' chairman Robert Brooks said: "The sale of this Spitfire touches me personally as an enthusiastic amateur pilot and a keen student of military history." |