Greek Spitfire Airborne During Athens Flying Week warbirdsnews.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from warbirdsnews.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
On Thursday, May 29th, Supermarine Spitfire Mk.IXc MJ755 arrived home in Greece following a three year restoration stint within the Biggin Hill Heritage Hangar at former RAF Biggin Hill near London, England. MJ755 is the only ex-Hellenic Air Force Spitfire extant, and had not flown over Greece since her retirement from military service on December 8th, 1953, so her homecoming garnered significant attention, both domestically and overseas! MJ755 set out from Biggin for Greece on May 25th, making stops in France and Italy on the way. Upon entering Greek airspace last Thursday, two Hellenic Air Force F-16s from 335 Squadron, a unit within which MJ755 once served, gave her an honorary escort. The Spitfire first landed upon Greek soil at the nation's most westerly terrain, the Island of Corfu. She then made her way to Ioannina and from there to Tatoi, just north of Athens.