Malloch S Spitfire

The story of one of history’s greatest fighter aircraft from WWII to its remarkable restoration in 1980 Rhodesia: “an aviation classic-in-waiting” (Airscape). In 1977, the Rhodesian Air Force retrieved a World War II–era Supermarine Spitfire F Mk 22. But while the RAF was embroiled in the Bush War, the dream of restoring the aircraft was frustrated by international sanctions. That’s when legendary pilot John “Jack” McVicar Malloch took control of the project. Not only had Jack flown Spitfires during World War II, he was also uniquely positioned to circumvent sanctions through his airfreight company, Air Trans Africa. With ingenuity, passion, and a team of trusted engineers, Jack realized the dream of putting Spitfire PK350 back in the air on March 29, 1980. In Malloch’s Spitfire, author Nick Meikle tells the full story of this remarkable restoration and reveals some fascinating insights about the aircraft. The reader is taken on a journey through the Spitfire’s life, beginning with her first test flight in 1945. The project’s lead engineer and many of the surviving pilots who flew her also share their memories. For two years, PK350 delighted those fortunate enough to see her fly. Then, on what was planned to be her last flight, Malloch’s Spitfire never returned to base.

This is the story of the pursuit of a dream. Spitfire PK350 is the only late-mark Spitfire, an F Mk 22, to have ever been restored to full flying status. She had no restrictions on her airframe and with four fully serviceable 20mm cannons, she was as good as the day she came off the production line in July 1945 near Birmingham, England. She first flew as a restored aircraft on 29 March 1980 at the hands of one John McVicar “Jack” Malloch. By then a legend in his adopted country, Rhodesia, Malloch had in 1977 been entrusted by the hierarchy of the Rhodesian Air Force to restore SR64, as she was then known. In two and half years, Jack Malloch and his trusted engineers, with critical help from the Rhodesian and South African air forces, completely restored SR64 to flying condition. The fact that she was fitted with a propeller made by a German company added a sweet irony to a project that had to contend with sanctions imposed by Britain, the original country of manufacture, and highlighted the enterprising spirit of the team. This was possible because Malloch, with the backing of the Rhodesian government, had built up a successful charter airfreight company that assumed different guises, depending on where it was operating, to bypass sanctions. Malloch's network thus facilitated his quest to restore and once again fly a Spitfire such as he had flown in the RAF during the Second World War. Some fascinating insights are revealed in this account. From the test pilot who first flew her as PK350 on 25 July 1945, the reader is taken on a journey through the aircraft's complete life, with the project's lead engineer and most of the surviving pilots who flew her gracing the story with their memories. For two years PK350 delighted those fortunate enough to see her fly, mostly around Salisbury (Harare) airport. Then, on what was planned to be its last flight, Malloch's Spitfire never returned to base.

Jack Malloch was Rhodesia’s principal pioneer in aviation. He was an aviator and entrepreneur who left his mark on Rhodesia in a number of ways. He introduced larger and longer range aircraft than anyone else and he used these aircraft to develop an airfreight business which reached into Africa and Europe during a time when Great Britain, the United Nations and others were trying to slam the door of commerce in the face of anyone from Rhodesia. In addition Jack had no hesitation about flying into the war zones of Biafra which he did in his early days in order to keep this business afloat. The story of Jack is told in the context of the years immediately following the end of the British Empire and how the Rhodesians attempted to fend off the winds of change which drew them into a Bush War of about fifteen years duration, which sadly cost more than 20,000 lives. Jack Malloch’s love for aviation culminated in his being the principle driver of a major project to restore a derelict Spitfire, the aircraft he had loved since his flying adventures during the Second World War and which he flew with great joy. It is sad to say that this Spitfire was the instrument of his death.

Jack Malloch was Rhodesia’s principal pioneer in aviation. He was an aviator and entrepreneur who left his mark on Rhodesia in a number of ways. He introduced larger and longer range aircraft than anyone else and he used these aircraft to develop an airfreight business which reached into Africa and Europe during a time when Great Britain, the United Nations and others were trying to slam the door of commerce in the face of anyone from Rhodesia. In addition Jack had no hesitation about flying into the war zones of Biafra which he did in his early days in order to keep this business afloat. The story of Jack is told in the context of the years immediately following the end of the British Empire and how the Rhodesians attempted to fend off the winds of change which drew them into a Bush War of about fifteen years duration, which sadly cost more than 20,000 lives. Jack Malloch’s love for aviation culminated in his being the principle driver of a major project to restore a derelict Spitfire, the aircraft he had loved since his flying adventures during the Second World War and which he flew with great joy. It is sad to say that this Spitfire was the instrument of his death.

“This international collaboration between air war historians is simply fantastic. . . . a deep-dive on the operations in a vast and very important theater of war.” —Air Classics During the final year of World War II, the defending Axis forces were steadily driven from southern skies by burgeoning Anglo-American power. This was despite the steady withdrawal of units to more demanding areas. This fifth volume of the series describes in detail the activities of the Allied tactical air forces in support of the armies on the ground as their opponents were steadily extracted from northern Italy and the Balkans for the final defense of the central European homeland. The book commences with coverage of the final fierce air-sea battles over the Aegean that preceded the advance northward to Rome and the ill-conceived British attempt to secure the Dodecanese islands following the armistice with Italy. The authors also deal fully and comprehensively with the advance northward following the occupation of Rome, and the departure of forces to support the invasion of France from the Riviera coast, coupled with the formation of a new Balkan Air Force in eastern Italy to pursue the German armies withdrawing from Yugoslavia and take possession of newly freed Greece. The effect of the creation within the same area of the US and RAF strategic forces to join the Allied Combined Bombing Offensive is also discussed. Includes photographs “Reflects the scope of a remarkable research effort and provides valuable detail that the reader is not going to find between two covers elsewhere.” —The NYMAS Review

The life story of a journeyman pilot who spent his entire working life connected to aviation and the Air Force. Group Captain Ossie Penton helped establish the Rhodesian Air Force and epitomised its spirit and excellence."I commend this story to the reader, not only as the fascinating one of the career of a Service Pilot, but also because it gives a very clear picture of the chronicle of events and politics pertaining to the period of time that it covered." Air Commodore Dickie Bradshaw OLM