The Supermarine Spitfire LF Mk.Vb EP120 G-LFVB is one of the most historically significant airworthy Spitfires in existence, with an impressive wartime record and a remarkable story of survival. Built in 1942 at the Castle Bromwich Aircraft Factory in Birmingham, this legendary fighter served with several RAF and Royal Canadian Air Force squadrons before surviving decades as a ground instructional airframe and gate guardian. Today, operated by The Fighter Collection at Duxford, it flies in the distinctive markings of No. 402 Squadron RCAF, carrying the code AE-A and the name City of Winnipeg.
EP120 was taken on charge by the RAF on 23 May 1942, initially passing through No. 45 Maintenance Unit at RAF Kinloss in Scotland. On 4 June 1942, it joined No. 501 Squadron RAF at Ibsley in Hampshire, entering frontline service during a period of intense aerial combat over southern England and the English Channel.
During its time with No. 501 Squadron, EP120 became associated with Squadron Leader Geoffrey Northcott, who was credited with six aerial victories while flying the aircraft. Its operational career was not without incident: on 16 July 1942, EP120 was damaged in a ground collision with another Spitfire, AB403. It was returned to the Castle Bromwich factory for repairs and subsequently returned to service.
The aircraft later served with No. 19 Squadron RAF before joining No. 402 Squadron (City of Winnipeg), Royal Canadian Air Force, in 1944. Wearing the code AE-A, it continued to represent the vital contribution of Canadian airmen to the Allied air campaign over occupied Europe.
EP120 is credited with seven confirmed aerial victories during its wartime history, making it an exceptional survivor among flying Spitfires.
The Spitfire Mk.V was developed to counter increasingly capable German fighters, particularly the Messerschmitt Bf 109 and Focke-Wulf Fw 190. It became one of the RAF’s principal fighter variants during 1941 and 1942.
The LF designation stands for Low Fighter, indicating a version optimised for performance at lower altitudes. EP120 is powered by a Rolls-Royce Merlin 55 V-12 engine, producing approximately 1,440 horsepower. This engine drives a four-bladed Dowty Rotol propeller, giving the aircraft its distinctive throaty Merlin roar.
The Mk.Vb featured the Type B wing, typically armed with two 20 mm Hispano cannon and four .303-inch Browning machine guns. This combination gave the Spitfire substantial firepower against enemy fighters and bombers.
With a maximum speed of approximately 370 mph (595 km/h), the Spitfire LF Mk.Vb combined excellent manoeuvrability with strong low-altitude performance. Its elliptical wing design, responsive controls and powerful Merlin engine helped establish the Spitfire as one of the most recognisable and successful fighters of the Second World War.
Following the war, EP120 escaped the fate of thousands of surplus military aircraft that were scrapped. It was retained for instructional purposes at RAF St Athan in South Wales, where it was assigned the maintenance serial 5377M.
During the 1950s and 1960s, it served as a gate guardian at several RAF stations, including RAF Wilmslow, RAF Bircham Newton and RAF Boulmer. These static displays helped preserve the aircraft until it was selected for use during the production of the 1969 film Battle of Britain.
Following its film appearance, EP120 returned to gate-guardian duties at RAF Wattisham in Suffolk. In 1989, it was moved into storage at RAF St Athan, where it remained until The Fighter Collection acquired it in 1993.
The aircraft underwent an extensive restoration by Historic Flying at Audley End, and on 12 September 1995, EP120 returned to the skies for the first time in decades. Its survival and restoration transformed it from a forgotten airframe into a flying piece of history.
EP120’s film career continued beyond Battle of Britain. In 2000, it appeared in the Hollywood film Pearl Harbor, temporarily wearing markings representing an Eagle Squadron Spitfire coded RF-M.
Although the film markings were fictional for this particular airframe, the appearance introduced the Spitfire to a new generation of viewers. Its authentic wartime structure and flying capability made it particularly valuable for filming sequences requiring a genuine Second World War fighter.
Away from the film set, EP120 returned to its historically significant markings associated with No. 402 Squadron RCAF, reflecting the aircraft’s real wartime service.
Now registered G-LFVB, EP120 remains a much-loved member of The Fighter Collection’s historic aircraft fleet at Duxford, Cambridgeshire. Its current presentation in No. 402 Squadron’s AE-A markings celebrates its Canadian connection and preserves the identity it carried during its wartime service.