BBMF

[Dan Gerous]

Thought I would share this with you all. Taken at Coningsby on 18th April.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v382/toom317/BB07.jpg

[Green Flash]

Dan

Please please tell me it sounded as good as it looks. :ok: :ok: :ok: :ok:

[Dan Gerous]

It sounded great Green Flash, especially when it reverbirated around the HAS site. :)

[Fluffy Bunny]

Very nice smudge that Dan :ok:

[barnstormer1968]

Barnstormer and Barnstormer Jnr. were out and about in east Bristol, on the 18th. We saw a spitfire in what looked like (only caught a glimpse) the colour scheme of the lead Spit (2nd aircraft) in that pic. Could it possibly have come our way. Even if not, the one we saw looked brilliant, and had us running through a tent display, just to get a last look.
The only downside, was that it was running at a low throttle setting, so didn't roar as it went over.

[threepointonefour]

No 3 looks a bit stretched to me ... I guess he was a Jag pilot in a previous life and still hasn't got used to the excess power available ...!



ps. Dan - the 'money' shots of BBMF ac are the ones where the prop has a touch more movement (tricky with longer lenses unless you have IS) - great shot though.

[ZH875]

I think that they should fly round and round my village until they get it right.



Every day for the summer season should see them ok. :ok:



Now I wish that I had done better at school, flying one of them in your spare time, must rate as a career highlight for anyone.

[c130jbloke]

Wow, great shot.

Has the BBMF got a Mk1 spitfire ( as in a Battle of Britain original ) aircraft ? Apologies if I have the tech part wrong, I just remember in the film, all the aircraft had 3 bladed props and all of the spits in the pic have 4+....

thanks,

C130JB

[XV277]

They've got another two Spits - a mk II and a mk V as well as another Hurricane

[ZH875]

P7350 (Mk IIa)


P7350 is the oldest airworthy Spitfire in the world and the only Spitfire still flying today to have actually fought in the Battle of Britain.

Having survived the War, 'P7' was then sold for scrap to Messrs. John Dale Ltd in 1948 for the princely sum of £25; fortunately the historical significance of the aircraft was recognised and she was generously presented to the RAF museum at Colerne. Restored to flying condition in 1968 for the epic film 'The Battle of Britain', she was presented to the BBMF after filming was completed.

from The BBMF website (http://www.bbmf.co.uk/fighters.html)

[airborne_artist]

Even the BBMF don't have a BoB survivor that has any kills to it's name. Peter and Polly Vacher live 2 nm from AA towers, and I regularly see/hear this in action. I've seen it close up - it is superb, and has five kills logged.

[BossEyed]

Barnstormer and Barnstormer Jnr. were out and about in east Bristol, on the 18th. We saw a spitfire in what looked like (only caught a glimpse) the colour scheme of the lead Spit (2nd aircraft) in that pic. Could it possibly have come our way.

Could have been, but if 'round Brizzle was quite likely this little number from Rolls-Royce:

http://nl.airliners.net/photos/middle/1/2/4/1146421.jpg

[Pontius Navigator]

A_A, is that Stephen Gray's ( or something like that) used to run Coventry Climax?

I watched his engineer rebuild (or build) a Hurricane at Coningsby. His was in the corner next to the BBMF Hurri and he kept poping over to compare bits, fabricate what was missing etc.

I think it took a couple of years.

In the dark ages parts were swapped and bartered. I was looking at a stack, yes a stack, of Spitfire tail tyres a couple of weeks ago. Looks like lots of bit are off the shelf such as transparencies.

The Dakota could do with a new drift sight though.

[Dan Gerous]

Agree with you 3.14 on the prop blur, it is always a trade off between a slower speed to get prop blur and risk getting motion blur on the aircraft, or a faster speed to get the aircraft sharp and freezing the props. I go for the latter as I'm a wee bit shakey with the big lens. Don't know any of the pilots involved, but if any of them were Jag drivers, it would probably have been the guy in the Mk9 at the rear, as he was having trouble keeping up with the rest of them. :)

[Farmer 1]

Just up the road from the BBMF is this.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/player/nol/newsid_6570000/newsid_6578400/6578491.stm?bw=bb&mp=rm

Well worth the extra few miles. A deeply personal memorial.

[The Helpful Stacker]

Looks like lots of bit are off the shelf such as transparencies.


A few years back during a 100% stock check at 16MU Stafford they uncovered enough different Spitfire spares to almost build a complete one.

[Jobza Guddun]

BBMF have another Spit on the go, a Mk 16 IIRC being rebuilt in some of the guy's spare time. Can find a link and post if anyone needs.

[GeeRam]

A_A, is that Stephen Gray's ( or something like that)
No, Peter Vacher recovered this machine from India and the rebuild was done by Hurricane specialist Hawker Restorations in Suffolk.
You can see a photo record of the restoration on their website here http://www.hawker-restorations-ltd.co.uk/MFPMk1.html
Stephen Grey's Fighter Collection at Duxford sold their rare ex-6 Sqn MkIV KZ321 to the Vintage Wings of Canada collection last year.

[The Helpful Stacker]

Isn't there a company in the UK that makes brand new Spitfires (using different engines and modern nav-aids etc)?

[airborne_artist]

THS - http://www.airframes.co.uk/index.html