For those of you who like me are aircraft nuts! here is the history of the Spitfire that used to be displayed on the gate at Norton Aerodrome.
It was a mk 24, service reg PK 724. This was one of the very last marks of Spitfire made, it first flew in Feb 1946 and delivered to 33MU at Lynham. from there it went to 9MU at Cosford in Feb 1950. It was delivered to Norton in late 1954 for instrutional purposes. When Norton closed, it went to RAF Gaydon as gate guardian untill May 1971, when it went to the RAF museum at Hendon, London, where it was extensivly restored and is now displayed there. It was fitted with a huge Rolls Royce Griffon engine developing some 2375 hp, five bladed propellor, and had four mk five cannon. It had a top speed of about 460 mph.
Ironically, it had only 7hrs flying time on it, it was overtaken by developments in jet aircraft, therfore never saw any service.
The plaque in the museum mentions its connection to Sheffield.
I can recomend a visit, very well worth while, it makes a great day out, a cheap National Express ticket to Golders Geen, and tube from there to the museum means a day trip can be done very cheaply.