Built by Vickers-Armstrong Ltd VN485 was delivered to 9 MU at RAF Cosford, on the 27th September 1947 and taken on charge the same day. VN485 turned out to be the 11th from last Spitfire delivered to the RAF. June 1949 and VN485 was one of a number of aircraft despatched to Seletar, Singapore, and went into storage. In September 1950, it was shipped to Hong Kong and in September 1951 was issued to No 80 Sqn. at Kai Tak. In May 1952 it was transferred to the Royal Hong Kong Auxiliary Air Force and in April 1955, VN485 flew its last official sortie, as part of a four-ship Spitfire formation for the Queen’s Birthday Flypast.
VN485 was placed into storage at Kai Tak at the end of July 1955 with a total flying time of just 242 hours. It was officially struck off charge in September 1955 and a year later was placed on display at Kai Tak. VN485 was gifted to the Imperial War Museum by the RHKAAF in 1989.
VN485 has been on static display at Duxford since its arrival in July 1989 and is currently painted in the silver scheme of the RHKAAF it wore in 1954/1955.
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