A genuine WWII veteran, PS853 was one of 79 Spitfire PR.XIX aircraft built by Supermarine at their Southampton factory towards the end of 1944 and was subsequently delivered to the Central Photographic Reconnaissance Unit at RAF Benson on 13th January 1945. She would fly operationally with RAF Nos. 16 and 268 Squadrons from bases at Melsbroek and Eindhoven in Holland, sorties which included nine information gathering mission against suspected German V-Weapon sites. Following the end of the war, PS853 would become associated with performing commemorative flypasts, becoming one of the first aircraft initially allocated to the RAF’s Historic Flight at Biggin Hill in 1957. 

The Flight would sell PS853 thirty years later to raise funds for the restoration of their crashed Hawker Hurricane LF363, however, following the tragic death of her new owner, the aircraft was subsequently acquired by the Heritage Department of Rolls Royce. Since then, the ‘Rolls Royce Spitfire’ has thrilled millions of spectators at Airshows and events across the country, with the distinctive throaty growl from her Rolls Royce Griffon engine demanding that every eye in her vicinity be glued to her every display move. 

A fitting flying tribute to the work of Photographic Reconnaissance Units during the Second World War, PS853 also proudly represents the rich heritage Rolls Royce possesses in the field of aero engine technology and is a much-loved focal point of their impressive Heritage Flight activities from their East Midlands Airport base.