Chinese buyer snaps up Spitfire

A Chinese buyer has swooped on a Spitfire fighter plane, shelling out almost $3 million at an auction in Nelson, attended by a crowd of about 500 people.

The Chinese group had set its sights on the 1945 Supermarine Spitfire Mk XVI, paying an auction record $2.8 million on Sunday.

Robert Glover, the national head of collectors' cars for Australian auction house Bonhams and Goodman, said the rare piece of World War 2 aviation history had attracted interest from around the world.

All but three parties had dropped out of the bidding war as the price edged towards the $3 million mark at the auction house's inaugural New Zealand sale at the World of Wearable Art and Classic Cars Museum in Nelson.

"Initially, the bidding sort of happened quite quickly.

"The moment we were over $2 million it slowed quite considerably and there would have been a good half a minute between each bid when people discussed and talked and thought it over," he said.

"There was a nice little round of applause when it was sold."

Mr Glover said the $2.8 million price tag was "probably about right" for the aircraft, which was in pristine condition but did not fly.

About 45 of the famous fighters are believed to exist - three in New Zealand - with airworthy planes typically fetching between $4.5 million and $5.5 million.

The Chinese party intends to display the plane in a museum, to be established in Beijing.

The former owner of the Spitfire, Don Subritzky of Albany, decided to sell the aircraft and concentrate his family's restoration efforts on two Hawker Hind light bombers.

The Spitfire was built in April 1945 at Castle Bromwich in the English Midlands.

It flew in the Royal Air Force during World War 2 and was in American ownership for almost 40 years before restoration work began in New Zealand in 1997.

Tim Evill, the head of collectors' cars for Bonhams and Goodman New Zealand, said about half of the 17 cars that went up for auction sold, which was pleasing.

He believed the fact some failed to sell was a reflection of the current climate, as "people are probably a bit more careful at the moment".

"Internationally sales of luxury items (vehicles) have slowed up," he said.

Among the sales was an 1898 De Dion Bouton 3.5 horsepower Vis-a-Vis which sold for $160,000.

A 1969 Lola T142 Formula 5000 racing car, expected to reach between $130,000 and $150,000, failed to sell.

- FAIRFAX

- © Fairfax NZ News