Mk XIV Spitfire Southern California Wing

the CAF’s Spitfire N749DP was built at the Aldermaston factory in Berkshire, England and then delivered to the Royal Air Force. The aircraft was shipped to Karachi, India in July 1945 to serve with the RAF's Southeast Asia Command (SEAC) squadrons. Rendered surplus following Japan's surrender in August 1945, it was placed in storage and sold to the Indian Air Force in late 1947. In 1978, it was rediscovered and transported to England by the Hayden-Bailey brothers. After being restored to flying condition, the Spitfire was sold to Keith Wickenden under a civil registration and later sold to David Price's Museum of Flying in the United States, which operated from 1985 to 2005, when it was once again sold, this time to the CAF. It features a SEAC color scheme and markings.

The Supermarine Spitfire Mk XIV, introduced in 1944, was the first mass-produced Spitfire powered by the Rolls-Royce Griffon 65 engine. Faster and more powerful than its predecessors, it excelled at intercepting V-1 flying bombs, claiming 300 kills. Although only 957 were built, they played a crucial role in the later years of the war. In October 1944, a Mk XIV achieved a historic milestone by shooting down a jet-powered Messerschmitt Me 262, highlighting its exceptional speed and firepower in combat.