Czech Tech Magnate Repatriates Historic RAF Spitfire to Prague Museum
A legendary Supermarine Spitfire that once served Czech pilots within the British Royal Air Force (RAF) during World War II has returned to the Czech Republic. The historic aircraft was acquired by Ivo Lukačovič, owner of the portal Seznam.cz, in a deal totaling £2.9 million (approximately 81 million CZK).
The aircraft, a Supermarine Spitfire Mk.IXe with the fuselage designation SL633 and registration JT-10, carries a deep national significance. According to reports from Seznam Zprávy, the fighter was originally assigned to the 312nd Czechoslovak Fighter Squadron of the RAF. Following the conclusion of the war, it was one of 54 aircraft that returned from Britain to Czechoslovakia, where it was later flown at air shows by Karel Pošta, a decorated wartime pilot.
The aircraft’s journey back to its homeland follows a decades-long global odyssey. In 1948, Czechoslovakia transferred the plane to Israel, where the Israeli Air Force modified it for photo-reconnaissance duties. After a belly landing in 1954, the aircraft was purchased by Burma and utilized as a counter-insurgency plane. Following a landing gear failure, the Spitfire was famously displayed on a pillar in front of the royal palace in Mandalay.
The plane eventually entered private collections toward the end of the millennium, first being acquired by American David Goulsmith and later by John T. Session of Seattle. It was eventually returned to the United Kingdom for a full restoration. The aircraft completed its first flight in 2010 and participated in the 75th anniversary celebrations of the Battle of Britain in 2015, as detailed by Novinky.
The Spitfire will now be housed at the aviation museum at the Točná airport near Prague. It joins another historic British aircraft, a Hawker Hurricane Mk.II (registration NN-D), which was also flown by Czechoslovak pilots during the war.
Lukačovič shared the news on the social network Lidé.cz, adding a provocative note regarding the aircraft’s current utility. “In the event of a threat, it can be easily re-armed and deployed directly into combat,” Lukačovič wrote, further stating that he and the Hawker Hurricane are currently “training the air defense of Prague.”
The repatriation of such aircraft highlights a growing international trend of private collectors securing military heritage to preserve the legacy of World War II allies. This acquisition ensures that a physical piece of the 312nd Squadron’s history remains accessible within the Czech Republic.
