by John Hopton

A detailed walkaround of Spitfire Mk.VIII serial MV154 photographed by John Hopton back in the 60-70s sometime. This was the Marshall airframe and John probably made these images while Marshall had it at Bankstown airport. Later it was illegally exported to the UK without an export permit and long displayed in the markings of ZX-M MT928. A report on the Key Aero site earlier this year says that it is being exported back to Australia.

After the above incident Customs staked out Bankstown Airport and caught certain parties attempting to also illegally smuggle the ex Marshall Me-109G (for which an export licence had been refused) out of the country in a crate described as 'machine parts'. The airframe was seized and after legal proceedings the Commonwealth of Australia acquired ownership and transferred it to the AWM where it remains.

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