Whats it like to fly a Spit?

[Slasher]

The epitome of aviation for me would be to fly a Spitfire even if just for a circuit.

Is there any Spit-rated pilots (any Mk but specifaly the V and/or IX) out there who could discribe a Spitty flight from start to finish? Throw in everything like the smell, vibration, whats it realy feels like as a pilot at the stick etc.

Apreciated with thanks.

Slash

[Puritan]

TO be honest I don't know (wish I did though).

That said, you could always try the next best thing (although some would say that it's the 1st best thing) as in how about: <a href="http://www.stallion51.com/intro.html" target="_blank">Stalion 51</a>

One of these days, eh !?......

[Slasher]

Thanks Puri. Yeh better than nothin. Despite there being no argument a P51 is a great aeroplane I still have this hankering for a Spit. Cant say Im truley a pilot deep down till Ive flown one. Thats not easy to do so the next best thing is have someone describe it to me (as only a pilot can) till Im one day able to.

[Kermit 180]

Unfortunately nor have I ever had the opportunity of a lifetime to fly a Spitfire. I have found the following links to sites describing what its like to fly the Spitfire, these may be of interest to you Mr Slasher <img src="wink.gif" border="0">

<a href="http://www.geocities.com/CapeCanaveral/Hangar/9378/spit-fly.html" target="_blank">http://www.geocities.com/CapeCanaveral/Hangar/9378/spit-fly.html</a>

<a href="http://www.spitfires.flyer.co.uk/flying.html" target="_blank">http://www.spitfires.flyer.co.uk/flying.html</a>

Kermie

[DOC.400]

Try David Ogilvy's book on Flying the Shuttleworth Aircraft, which includes a rather tasty clipped wing Spit + article in Pilot only a few month's ago on flying Spits and Hurricanes.

You CAN fly one too -there are a couple of 2 seaters in the UK. It'll cost you about two grand for an hour.........."Bloody Hell" I hear you say. But bare in mind that it costs £50K to service the VP prop.........

[Slasher]

Thanks Kermit. Those 2 sites were pretty good! <img src="smile.gif" border="0">

DOC thanks. But for me its the whole-hog solo endorsement or nothin at all. I have the money but I dont have enough tail-dragger time. Ive only got 1200 hrs in J-4s, DH82s, and PA18s with a smattering of DC-3 FO time. <img src="frown.gif" border="0">

[Chimbu chuckles]

Gee Slash 1200 tailwheel time? that's only 2 or 3 times the total time that the average Spitfire pilot finished the war with!

When I can get the time free from work for a week or two next year I'm heading down to OZ to fly a P51. I won't get to fly it solo but I will be in the front seat for as many hours as I care to pay for. About 3K Ozzy/hour flight time.

My father has many hours in Spits, P51, Corsair, Bearcat all logged in the the 50s.

He first flew the Spit(MK9) pre wings parade in the RAF circa about 1949/50. Where he was learning to fly they had several Spits on hand as Flying Instructor sanity machines, in those days of course the RAF still had many many squadrons of late model Spitfires in service. He mentioned in passing to his Instructor one day how much he would love to fly the Spitfire and his instructors reply was "well here's the pilot notes, come back when you think you know them". He was finished the wings course and awaiting the Wings Parade before being posted to a Fighter OTU(Meteors). He came back the next day, his instructor asked him a bunch of questions while he sat in it and away he went.

A couple of his class mates who were similarly at a lose end for a week or two snaffled two more Spits on the field and and they spent the next 10 days roaring all over Southern England and across to the French coast playing tag and what have you. His log book shows 20+ hours in that time, LUCKY LUCKY BA$TARD!!!

His thoughts on the aircraft closely echo those in one of the above threads, he reckoned it landed like a big Tiger Moth.

Post RAF(it was National Service) he joined the French Foriegn Legion in a bit of a spiv deal they had going to bolster pilot numbers in the French Airforce operating in Indochina and flew the F4U7 and the F8F on active service.

Post Dien Bien Phu he immigrated to OZ(following the rest of his family out) and joined the RAAF and was posted to 1 Squadron on Lincolns. Guess what? They had a squadron hack P51 at Tengah and he wangled a few hours in that too from time to time!!! Mate we were definately born 30 years to late!!! <img src="frown.gif" border="0">

His opinion of all those fighters was they are not difficult to fly at all. They are designed as gun platforms, that's there reason for existence, an unstable gun platform is usless!

A Check Captain who I flew with at NJS flew the Shuttleworth Hurricane in the 70s, his opinion was the same.

Col Pay is quoted as saying "No-one flys my Spitfire without showing me their stuff in my C185 first" apparently. Well of my 1000 odd tailwheel time 700 is 185/180, the rest scattered around DH82/Helio Courier/Chipmunk. Before I start paying for Mustang time I'm going to brush the cobwebs off my feet in a mates 180, then some T6 time(again with my mate). Dad reckons after about 200 hours in a Spit/Mustang you're about ready to tackle a Harvard :)

These aircraft are only flown these days by a lucky few, generally(but not always) very experienced professionals. Those that aren't flown by wealthy PPLs owners that is! Not because they are hard to fly but because they are relatively rare and worth heaps! All the WW2 era Spit pilots I ever met finished WW2 with less than 1000 hours total time.

So go for it! And then write about it here...I'll do the same for the Mustang next year!

Chuckles. :)

[ 25 December 2001: Message edited by: Chimbu chuckles ]</p>

[Evo7]

[quote]
The epitome of aviation for me would be to fly a Spitfire even if just for a circuit.
<hr></blockquote>

Amen, Slash. <img src="smile.gif" border="0">

[John Farley]

Slasher

I have been waiting in vain for someone much better qualified than me to answer your question about what it is like to fly a Spitfire. But no joy, so I will have to give it a go.

Back in 1991, I was privileged to fly the OFMC Spit IX for 18 trips during that air show season. Mark Hanna briefed me and without exaggeration I can say it was the best pilot-to-pilot brief I have ever had. So I knew what I had to do but at the same time I was extremely concerned in case I bent it. It was eight years since I had stopped flying professionally and any flying currency came from the odd trip in this or that light aircraft. Hardly the stuff to make you feel confident when tackling a National Treasure.

That concern dominated “what it was like to fly” until I passed over the Duxford hangars after my first take off. Up until then it was all about executing the brief and I had no mental horsepower left to actually appreciate things. The takeoff was all about what you would expect, no forward view, keeping straight, power on gently, making sure you kept the power back within the conservative limits set, keeping straight, raising the tail very carefully (just enough to see) and not beyond a slightly tail low attitude in order to keep the prop from hitting the ground on bumpy grass. Did I mention keeping straight? After unstuck there was an instant need to change hands to get the gear up using a combined gear and flap hydraulic selector gate on the right - the operation of which was anything except instinctive.

Then over the hangars I looked out sideways and saw the wing. That may seem a strange comment to make, but these days one is so often sitting out in front of whatever you are flying and so cannot see the airframe. Anyhow, there were these wings, at which point it actually sunk in that I was flying a Spitfire. I shouted out loud “Yes” and then felt a right prat a moment later for such un-cool behaviour.

A few minutes earlier, when walking out to the aircraft I had passed Ray Hanna, and he had mentioned that at shows he wanted to see no straight in approaches in his favourite aircraft, but a nice turning final until the flare - otherwise I could expect my cards. I said something on the lines of “we would have to see about that” and got on with thinking about the trip. Little did I realise the significance of what Ray said until I came in to land. In handling terms this frightening monster had became a pussycat on finals. By that I mean it was light on the controls, with excellent response about all axes and it flew really slowly as well. To get horribly technical it was light and floaty, not a lead sled. The end result was a feeling that it was totally happy aerodynamically and not going to bite you. Of course you could see absolutely zero out the front, but that was easily fixed by doing a turning final.

So suddenly it all became clear. All those war time movie shots of tight turning finals, with wings levelled only in the flare, was not a bunch of aces showing off at all (as I had previously thought) but the natural and easy way for anyone to land a Spit. It helps that the aircraft is quite clean, even gear and flap down, so it needs only a trickle of power as you approach the flare. This of course means there is not much of a change in lift or control circumstances when you eventually ease off the throttle.

These days I have been known to give a talk to aviation societies entitled “The Spitfire, the Lavi, the MiG-29 and the Harrier – a common denominator?” What can four such very different aeroplanes have in common? Well for my money each aeroplane is world class in respect of one characteristic. In the case of the Spitfire (Mk IX at least) it is the exquisite lateral control during the landing manoeuvre. I have never experienced better.

(In case you are interested, for me the Lavi has the easiest multirole fastjet cockpit to operate, the MiG-29 has the most benign high alpha handling fighter wing, while the Harrier has the best operating site flexibility) But I digress, back to the Spitfire.

Some modern pilots used to fully powered controls, might be a tad surprised at the muscle needed to get max manoeuvrability at higher speeds, but that is manual controls for you.

Flying display manoeuvres with a much reduced boost setting required one to be gentle and flowing or you could easily finish up slow and in the buffet and going nowhere and needing quite a while to build up energy again. I am sure that with +12 or more boost it would have been quite a different aeroplane. But regardless of the power available, one thing would not have changed – with the slightest touch of less than zero g the donk would cut. I understand the injected 109 was naturally a much better bet in that regard. Having the freedom to push to evade must have been important. Needing to roll and pull to suddenly get the nose down would take a lot longer, perhaps too long.

I have not mentioned what it is like to sit a few feet behind a Merlin that is firing up, idling, at high power or whatever. Why? – Because I am just not good enough with words to do the experience justice.

The worst aspect of operating the Spitfire? Engine temperature handling on the ground. It naturally had to be warmed up before doing the mag and power checks, but then you only had a minute or two before you had to either get airborne and avail yourself of some ram flow through the radiators or shut down again.

Hope that helps.

[CamelPilot]

Thanks John. Very descriptive, and very flavoursome.

I am very glad you did justice to the question. I thought about answering, but decided that 40 minutes in a Mk 1 could not possibly qualify me to offer an opinion.

Your description did serve to remind me of some of the joy in flying one though. Hell of an experience!

[foxmoth]

Great stuff, thank you John.

[Chuck Ellsworth]

Great post John:

There are only two airplanes that I would really love to fly before I get to senile to get in one,
first would be the Spit. then the Super Connie.

The most important part of your story for me was finally someone verifys that the turning approach to a landing is the easiest, only thing to remember is don't drag the wing. I use that approach with pilots who are having trouble judjing the flare height among other things.

Anyhow thanks again.

....................

:) The hardest thing about flying is knowing when to say no. :)

[pigboat]

Thanks John. Your fourth paragraph is pure poetry.

[Slasher]

Yeh thanks John! VERY much apreciated! What I wouldnt bloodey give just for a solo circuit...

oh well back to MS Combat sim. <img src="frown.gif" border="0">

CamelP a Spits a Spit mate. Id be interested in every second of the 40 minutes! <img src="smile.gif" border="0">

[ 30 December 2001: Message edited by: Slasher ]</p>

[Feather #3]

Great thread.

Thanks to Slasher for asking the question and John F's wonderful reply!! :)

Cat Driver - my advice is to amend your second wish to a Connie [L-749/C-121A]. It is apparently a much nicer handling a/c than the 'Super' which tends to be heavy and with very limited excess power. Vern Rayburn's [hope that was spelt correctly?] MATS Connie [a C-121A] is for sale and there's a chance to fly it for a price. The Dutch are also restoring its sister ship to take back to Holland. Both at Avra Valley nr. Tucson, AZ.

G'day and Happy New Year to ALL. :) <img src="wink.gif" border="0">

[ 30 December 2001: Message edited by: Feather #3 ]</p>

[gaunty]

This is too much.

Thanks John and the rest for the wonderful description.

Chuckles
Are you coming to Perth to fly Wylies P51, if you are let me know and we can have a beer or three.

I am currently negotiating the sale of one of my children for funds to cover that exercise. :)

Super Connie is on my list too, thanks Feather#3 for the L749 advice and location, sounds like I'm going to have to sell the other 2 as well. <img src="cool.gif" border="0">

Thanks overall Slasher

[BeauMan]

I've also always wanted to fly a Spitfire although I'm pretty certain I'll never get to do so. For a Spitfire wannabe such as myself, John's description is magical. To read a pilot's view of flying the Spitfire is always a pleasure; for that pilot to be one with John's levels of experience and expertise makes it even more so. Many, many thanks.

[Steepclimb]

"I have not mentioned what it is like to sit a few feet behind a Merlin that is firing up, idling, at high power or whatever. Why? – Because I am just not good enough with words to do the experience justice."

That comment by John Farley, brought it all back. I stood behind a Spitfire firing up at West Malling back in the eighties. All of the warbirds were lined up with their tails to the barriers. Why don't they do that anymore?

I don't know if I can describe it either. I was surrounded in a cocoon of warm sound and a Merlin fragranced vortex which overwhelmed my senses yet filled my emotions. A moment you feel more than you remember.

I'm off to find the pictures I took at that moment.

[Sick Squid]

My father was an LAC electrician on Neville Dukes North African 145 Squadron, the first Spritfire detatchment in the region. I grew up with tales of the Spitfire, and the men who flew them.

Last year, I discovered Neville Dukes War Diaries in the Transair shop at Fairoaks, on my way back from a sim-session at LHR. To use the phrase fascinating reading would be a gross understatement... excellent on their own, but with the knowledge that my dad had been a small part of what he was writing about it took on a new resonance for me. I felt, (still do!) like contacting Neville Duke and just saying what respect his NCO's had for him at the time, and how he'd helped fire the enthusiasm that had placed me in the left hand seat of an airliner

I'd auction off body parts to fly a Spitfire, but certainly don't feel I have the necessary skill. Still, I'd give it a serious go, however!

And for John Farley... respect! Another truly great contribution, makes it worthwhile spending the hours on this forum to have input like yours.

£6

[ 04 January 2002: Message edited by: Sick Squid ]</p>

[Steepclimb]

Sick Squid, Did your dad happen to later work for EI and have a permanent tan, courtesy of his days in the desert and a name which matched the colour?
I may have met him.

[ehwatezedoing]

My question may sound a bit silly after the impressive post of Mr Farley.
But, I always wondering this one:

Do Spitires have a tail wheel lock !?

[John Farley]

The OFMC Mk IX did not have a tailwheel lock and I have not heard of anybody talk of one on other variants

regards

[ehwatezedoing]

Thank you

[MLS-12D]

Is there any Spit-rated pilots (any Mk but specifically the V and/or IX) out there who could describe a Spitty flight from start to finish? Throw in everything like the smell, vibration, what it really feels like as a pilot at the stick etc.There is a chapter on this topic in Neil Williams' book, Airborne; you might want to take a look at it.

[proplover]

For what its worth here is my view after being in the back seat of a T9.

Firstly as you climb into the rear cockpit two things hit you, one the unique smell (ain't any other aircraft I've been in smells quiet like it), two, how tight fitting the cockpit is. My shoulders are rubbing the canopy rails.

Strapping in is next. For this flight I have to slip the chute on whilst in situ, its very awkward due to the narrrow cockpit, an extra pair of hands lean in and assist, clips done next is the harness. Five point harness, straps firmly done up.

A minute or two's wait whilst the pilot straps in. Quick run through the controls in the rear, left to right. Bottom left by the side of the seat elevator and rudder trim, moving forward, throttle and pitch control, onto the front panel, maggs, air pressure gauge with splits for L and R brakes. Small Radio set above gauge then flap lever. In the centre the standard 6 flying instuments. To the right oil presure gauge, below is the Boost gauge followed by the most important gauge when on the ground - water temp. To the right just forward of the seat is the undercarrige selector. In front of me is the clasic Spitfire contol with the spade grip. A quick check, forward and back is pretty standard but for left and right it pivits from just below the spade grip, unusual feeling at first. Its obvious why it was designed that way, theres no way you could have the whole stick moving left to right as there simply isnt enough room. The brake lever lies accross the rear of the spade grip (The Spitfire uses differential braking along the lines of the Chipmunk).

Earphones on, its pre oil time. The pump whine is on for some 90 seconds. The pilot runs through the pre start checks, were ready and primed. It goes quite, "clear prop!" - Starter whine, props turning and...............!! The magical sound of 12 cylinders of Merlin fire up, the smoke curls around you before being blown away as the prop fans the air back. The engine settles into a steady beat at 800rpm. Post start checks are carried out. Its true what you read, the whole airframe is alive! From a cold start its 5-8 mins warm up with then a whole 5-6 minutes to taxi then get power checks finished and take off. The Spitfire not only looks ungainly as it taxi's on that narrow undercarridge it feels it! With the water tempreture gauge already nudging 95 ish its close canopy (rear canopy as the air vortex through the front to the rear can suck up dust into the pilots eyes - not recommended!) - and its time to go!
How to describe taking off, well, the first time is mind numbing. The power (some 1700 HP in this one) was far above anything propellor driven that I'd experianced. The torque is trying to pull the plane off to one side, the pilot is countering with rudder and bring the tail up, the noise is fantastic. The vibrations get less and at around 70 were up. I notice immediatly thet the wheels have been selected 'up', the speed starts to rise rapidly- the tempreature gauge is 100.

A quick look left and right, those fabulous wings are right there, the aircraft is banking away to the left as we climb away and I can see our shaddow racing accross the fields below - heaven!
After some basic flying around and were crusing at 210knts and trimmed out I hear "right, you have control".

I can only speak as a PPL whoose flown PA38s, TB9's and Chipmunks - boy in pitch it is extreamly sensitive. I'm porpoising up and down 50ft at a time. Dam, whats wrong with me - relax and after a few minutes the height changes diminish. A turn or two. Big difference here, the ailerion contol is heavier. I know this T9 has slightly reduced ailerions but even so! I bank to the left and start to pull back - oooofff! Feel the G!! The aircraft is on rails, I put some rudder in to balance, God its so easy to pull 3g - just a nudge and its there.

The pilot takes over and we do some rolls, loops and half cubans. Were up to 290knts - wow!The manovoures are so gently (but with G), I note the controls are not slammed about, the aircraft flows from one manovoure to another. We do some slow speed flying, what an aircraft this is. Its so controlably at 2-3knts above the stall and there is lots of warning of the impending stall.

Times up, I notice its 25 mins since we took off, sweat is running down my face. We join the circuit, the speed management is carefull and precise, the Spitfire is a slippery shape, if you don't back the speed off soon enough it would be easy to go sailing bye. Radiator doors open for pre cooling the water tempreture, aircraft pitches slightly due to the doors opening, down to 130knts, wheels down, more pitch, speed ebbing away. Flaps down, more pitch change. Landing checks complete. "Turning finals" the aircraft banks to the left, the nose is pitched slightly up. The view from the rear is poor but I can see the runway comming around and under us. 90 - 80 - 75 - 70 over the threshold. We seem to be hanging in the air - the Spitfire just wants to keep flying. We touch, a slight bounce, the speed declines and the tail settles. We rock slightly as the aircraft slows to taxi speed - can't hang about as the water tempreture is already thinking about going up.

I open the canopy to get some air, we taxi along and some people wave from the fence - I wave back - I feel quite special.

We stop, the engine powers up for a few seconds, the noise is music then - it coughs to a stop leaving just silence.

Its some 40 years since I built my first Spitfire model and whilst it will be nigh on impossible to be a Spitfire Pilot I'll keep working at it, after all 2 years ago I never thought I'd learn to fly let along own an aircraft so who knows. Even from a back seat a Spitfire is a magical aircraft. At least I can say I've been in and flown one!!
(Sorry about the spelling but I'm short on time)

[treadigraph]

Chippy, you lucky so and so, thanks for sharing that! :ok:

[foxmoth]

Thanks Chippy (N.B. PM for you).

[Rallye Driver]

Like Chippie, I?ve only flown a Tr9 from the back seat - with Paul Bonhomme up front.

At startup you get an enormous lung full of fumes from the exhaust, but that soon clears and you taxi out for the power checks. Then the tremendous acceleration and noise at take off. Wheels up and a steep climbing turn to the left and back climbing out over Duxford.

I have to agree about the powerful elevators. I?d read about this and was prepared, but even so it was up and down, up and down until I could get things sorted out and brace my arm a bit.

Again, I agree, steep turns were a doddle, you could turn it on its wingtip and feel the G pushing you down into the seat ? marvellous!

The day I flew, there were big, fluffy cumulus clouds at 4-5000 feet. After doing some general handling in the Bassingbourn area, I flew back over to Newmarket where we did some aeros ? rolls, loops, Cuban 8s and rolls off the top (with me being able to try some rolls for myself).

When you see a Spitfire doing those lovely slow rolls, that?s exactly how it feels inside ? they seem to go forever. The ailerons were certainly slightly heavier than I anticipated, but the pitch up and stick over was exactly what one would expect.

We flew around and over the clouds, Seeing that wing shape with the camouflage and roundel against the white of the clouds and the blue sky, then our shadow on the clouds, is something I?ll never forget.

Then it was ?take us back to Duxford and 1000 feet over the M11?. So diving down through a gap between the clouds at about 300mph and back across the fields to Duxford for a run and break with victory roll - then that curving approach and hold off and bump, bump, bump as we touched down in a nice three pointer.

It was only 35 minutes, but I found that quite satisfyingly sufficient. I was not too much to take in. I?d like another go sometime, if my bank balance can take it.

My uncle worked at Supermarine in Southampton on all the marks of Spitfire and died last year, aged 90. I had a picture of his taken in front of some Dutch Mark Ixs at Eastleigh in about 1946 up with me, so in a way, he got to fly a Spitfire too.

RD :ok:

[Nige321]

Mr Farley

"Because I am just not good enough with words to do the experience justice"

B*llocks...:)

When you decide to write of your lifes experiences I, for one, will be first in the queue for the book with a large wad of folding blue flying vouchers...:ok:

I have always found your posts most informative and descriptive and beautifully written... PLEASE write a book!!!

Best regards

Nige

[John Farley]

Nige

Thank you for your kind words. You are not the first to suggest a book, but I am reluctant. As you may know I have done a monthly column for Flyer for close to two years and the subject of such a book has cropped up on their bulletin board.

The Editor recently replied as follows:

Hi All

John hasn't written his autobiography.

He has always worked as part of a team ("I just got lucky and flew the aeroplanes") and he doesn't feel he has sufficient recall of all those people, friends and colleagues that he's worked with over the years, so he would hate to offend any of them by missing them out. He is much keener to impart aviation information to later generations of aviators which is why he writes for us.

We might one day put the articles together into a book when John feels the time is right. In the meantime I hope you continue to enjoy his writing (I do!).

Nick
Flyer Ed

Thanks again for your support Nige

Regards

John

[Shaggy Sheep Driver]

Is JF is being too modest? I have, in the past, entreated him here on PPRuNe to write a book. What he says through 'Flyer's' editor about being only the sharp end of a team, and about the danger of missing someone out of the picture, or fading memories are, I'm sure, real worries and very true.

But these are worries faced by every autobiographical writer - I'm glad it didn't stop Jeffrey Quill, Stanley Hooker, Alex Henshawe, and lots of others from putting pen to paper.

However, it's John's call and only he knows whether it would be a good idea or not to write such a book. I would imagine that such a task might call for diaries and written records, which may or may not be available.

But, if he changes his mind, I'll be right there in the queue with Nige321 waving my readies!

BTW, regarding the Spitfire; I'm told it's not possible to do a really s-l-o-w roll in one, because the fuel endurance is only 2 hours ;~)

SSD

[yakker]

I have my wallet at the ready for that book. Thats 3 sold and
you havent written it yet John!

[jumpseater]

That'll be four then!:ok:

[treadigraph]

The queue's getting longer John!

Treadders

[Wunper]

Get typing John!

I am sure Peter Campbell would whisk you though the publishing process PDQ , and the rest of the prooners will have to form an orderly queue behind me!

Wunper:ok:

[Lowtimer]

And me...

John, I admire your writing and greatly respect your experience. I have learned a great deal from your combination of the two. I know others also have, and that yet more will in the future.

I believe a man who has served his country and the flying community with such distinction has earned the right to peace and quiet if he wants it, and it's entirely your choice.

I understand your point about not wanting to upset people by leaving out individuals, and it does you credit. But in making your choice all I'd say is please don't dwell on the negatives - think of the positives...

[seafuryfan]

John, I've sometimes wondered about pilot memoirs, how they can be so meticulous, and how the authors can be so exact about their memories. They may of course have detailed diaries from which to refer, and they may also do some research nearer to the time concerned. In the 'Noughties', I think you've been right to be so cautious when you do not have the benefit of written records from which you can refer.

A gentleman offered some enlightening contributions on this forum recently about flying Spitfires and Hurricanes during the Battle of Britain film (circa 1968). Not a book by any means, but fascinating, unique insights, which gave a lot of people a lot of pleasure.

If writing a book's not for you, any time you wish to succumb to the keyboard with your memories, and going hands up when not sure of bits and bobs, you have a small army of readers waiting to read them - after all, no-one can have seen what you have :ok:

PS: Did I read an excellent article in a magazine some years ago on spinning the Hunter in Europe (Switzerland?) written by yourself? Honest, and gripping.

[Tim Mills]

I've only just caught up with this thread, my computer was bust and replacement only just up and running. Just to say that I couldn't possibly better John Farleys description, and it reminded me of things I'd forgotten since BofB film days. Also the two descriptions of rides in the back seat of the two seaters; such detailed memories!

Johns mention of the briefing given him by Mark Hannah reminded me of that given two of us by one of his predecessors at Hawkers, Duncan Simpson, when we were chosen to fly their 'Last of the Many' Hurricane in the film. First class.

[John Farley]

Thanks chaps - all very good for the ego.

Seemingly all I have to do now is convince my family that what I did is worth looking back on, let alone writing down.

Def: Family - those who really know what you got up to.

[QDMQDMQDM]

convince my family that what I did is worth looking back on, let alone writing down

John,

Take the self out of it. What you did is now indubitably part of our aviation heritage, whether you think it was worthwhile or not. If you don't document it as best you can then a priceless part of our heritage is gone.

We need your memories and you are an exceedingly good writer so they will be worth reading.

David

[MLS-12D]

Here (http://www.geocities.com/capecanaveral/hangar/9378/spit-fly.html) is an article on flying an SAAF Spit.

You might also enjoy this pilot report on the Australian replica Spitfire (http://www.geocities.com/capecanaveral/hangar/9378/spit-fly.html).

[Taildragger]

Chuckles....

Come, come. You are being TOO modest about dusting off your skills on the 180. I fly mine whenever I can and will never get good enuff to fly Col Pays Spit, and certainly never good enough to challenge you on bouncing techniques.!!
Mind you I have never flown with you in a 180....only a 185 which at 30kts indicated has all the flying characteristics of a baby grand piano....a bouncing baby grand piano...but you know that.
By the way, "Pilot" this month has a good article by Bob Grimstead on flying the P51 and comparing it with the Spitfire. (He DOES qualify the comparison though) He flew Wylies P51, which I suspect you are going to have a go at. The Reggo VH-SFT is roughly translated as "Serious effing toy".!!!

[MLS-12D]

Another couple of articles: see here (http://www.spitfires.flyer.co.uk/flying.html) and here (http://www.spitfires.flyer.co.uk/flyingdual.html).

Hope this helps.