Which Olympic champion had his own Spitfire?

Short answer

Donald Finlay, a British hurdler, was not an Olympic champion: he won bronze in the 110m hurdles at Los Angeles 1932 and silver at Berlin 1936. He flew Spitfires as commander of No. 54 and No. 41 Squadron, and on 30 November 1940 was assigned Spitfire IIa P7666, marked EB-Z.

Published: November 1, 2026 · Updated: November 1, 2026 · Edited by Above Ten Thousand · Editorial policy

Which Olympic champion had his own Spitfire?

Supermarine Spitfire LF Mk IX MH434 in flight at the 2018 Season Premiere AirshowAirwolfhound (CC BY SA), vía commons

A hurdler in the cockpit of a Spitfire

Donald Finlay was not an Olympic champion, but a medallist: he competed for the first time at the 1932 Los Angeles Games, in the 110 metres hurdles, where he won bronze. Four years later, in Berlin, he improved his result to silver in the same event. In April 1935 he was commissioned as a pilot officer. The following month he joined No. 17 Squadron and, later, in 1936, No. 54 Squadron of the RAF.

Spitfires and combat

During the Second World War he was posted to fly Spitfires as commanding officer of his former No. 54 Squadron, based at Hornchurch, on 26 August 1940. Two days later he was shot down over Ramsgate and wounded. The aircraft he was flying at the time was Spitfire X4053. After recovering, in September he took command of No. 41 Squadron. On 30 November 1940, now leading that unit, he was assigned Spitfire IIa P7666, with the markings EB-Z. His record flying fighters was 4 aircraft destroyed and 2 shared, plus 3 damaged and 1 shared.

Back on the track

Finlay was captain of the British team at the 1948 London Games and was chosen to take the Olympic oath. At those 1948 Games he raced again for Great Britain.