OK, I'll bite.
BEagle wrote:
When is the 'Spitfire squadron' at Enstone now expected to take to the air? I wish them the very best of good luck, but I'm afraid that I have my doubts.
Well, the first airframe, EN-A (now its RAF-approved tailcode) has now reached its anniversary in construction and is now approaching the first ground run stage:
Hopefully she will fly around the turn of the year.
Now let me state at the outset that
this is not a real Spitfire. If she were, she would cost £1.5-2m, would burn 15L of AVGAS
per minute at full chat, would need 5 hours of costly, expert maintenance for every hour spent in the air - and I would only ever be able to watch her fly.
This is a 90% scale replica (rather a good one, if I say so myself, as an interested party). Its MTWA is only approximately 80% of that of a Bulldog but it has a much slicker airframe, retractable gear and 25% more power. It burns 38-40L of AVGAS per hour and will cruise all day at 150KIAS - faster if the mood takes you and your wallet will stand it.
It's the closest that mere mortals such as I can ever hope to get to the peerless original. If you're lucky enough to know someone who owns a genuine Spit, has deep enough pockets to operate and maintain it
and has been let out of the looney bin for long enough to pass you the keys to the hangar, good luck to you (I know - and, sadly, have known - several that are/were, incidentally).
For the rest of us, this is as good as it gets. And, as one pilot who should know has already put it, it's the best fun you can have with your clothes on.
Tailwinds
Gadget 