Peter Arnold’s unfinished Spitfire fuselage, stored in his Newport Pagnell garage, sold for £18,000 at a Cirencester auction on October 8, 2025. The sale closes a 20‑year quest that began when the 83‑year‑old collector pieced together the PK519 from scattered wreckage.
Arnold, known in aviation circles as “Mr Spitfire”, began collecting aircraft parts after a childhood near RAF Northolt. He tracked down over 350 crash sites and travelled worldwide to salvage more than 260 Spitfires.
PK519, a Supermarine Spitfire F Mk 22 built in 1943, served in WWII, later became a target on Salisbury Plain, and was recovered by Arnold in 1977. He reconstructed its main body using original panels from other Spitfires, adding a cockpit window and a Perspex canopy.
Dominic Winter Auctioneers listed the fuselage with five original Griffon propeller blades and other authentic components. Forty bidders showed up, and the final bid of £18,000 sealed the deal.
Arnold’s grandson, Rahul, recalled the smell of oil and metal in the garage, saying he had watched his grandfather work for months.
The buyer, whose identity remains undisclosed, will decide whether to complete the restoration or preserve the piece as a museum exhibit, marking the final chapter of Arnold’s lifelong passion.