History[]
Built in 1958,[2] the aircraft was taken on charge with the Ejercito de Aire (Spanish Air Force). Following it's military service, this aircraft was among the examples acquired by Spitfire Productions.
Along with five other examples,[N 3] C.4K-172 was restored to taxying status at Tablada Airfield, and used for filming in Spain during April 1968. After the Spanish location filming was completed all six taxying aircraft were purchased by the Victory Air Museum at Mundelin, Illinois, USA.[3]
On 30 March 1982, the aircraft passed to Robert Lamplough, London, with registration G-BJZZ, only to suffer a ground loop on landing at Biggin Hill, Kent in May 1982, resulting in registration G-BJZZ being cancelled as permanently withdrawn from use on 21 December 1983.
Restored to static display condition at the Theatre of War, it was placed on display with Theatre of War, Whitehall, London, under the ownership of Paul Raymond
Owned by Charles Church, with registration G-HUNN, from 29 April 1987 to 17 May 1988, when it was transferred to Charles Church Displays Ltd, The Barn Office, Roundwood, Micheldever, Winchester, Hampshire. Registration G-HUNN was cancelled on 9 October 1991, and a certificate of airworthiness for the aircraft, now registered NX109GU (HA-1112M-1-L, 235), was issued on 17 December that year.
Photographed by Ken Videan at the EAA Oshkosh meeting in 1993, the aircraft was acquired by the Cavanaugh Collection Inc, Addison, TX as N109GU on 9 December 1994,[4] spending three months in early 1995 at Fort Chaffey, Arkansas for film work.[5]
The aircraft was subsequently photographed on 22 July 1995 by Mike Henniger at the Dayton International Air and Trade Show, on 19 December 2008 by Jay Curtiss, and on 14 July 2015 byTom Tessier at Cavanaugh Flight Museum.
On 1 January 2017, a new certificate of airworthiness for NX109GU was issued.[4]