Tigertim's render of a pair of Spitfire XVIe's inspired me to dig through my photos from June's Hamilton airshow to see if I could find one or two of Air Marshall Sir James Robb's personal aircraft. Completed too late to see action, SL721 was stored until it became Sir James Robb's personal aircraft in 1947. After being retired, it would have been scrapped in 1954 but for the efforts of Michael Wilcock, who successfully begged the RAF to let him save & restore the aircraft. Over the years it had a succession of owners, before ending up at its current home in Gatineau, Quebec as part of the Vintage Wings of Canada collection. Aside from the serial number, the aircraft today is in the markings of the plane flown by Flight Lt. William Harper who flew with 421 Sqn. RCAF during WWII. On April 12, 1945 Harper's plane was hit by German anti-aircraft fire, and damaged beyond repair. He did however manage to return safely to base. The Mk.XVIe was basically a Mk.IX equipped with a Packard-built Merlin 266 engine, which was the equivalent of the Rolls Royce Merlin 66. Armament was 2- 20mm Hispano cannons and 2 - .50 caliber Browning machine guns. It could also carry a single 500lb. bomb, or two 250lb bombs.