Clive Du Cros' replica Spitfire
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Clive Du Cros' replica Spitfire
Reading through the interesting 'plastic spitfire' thread with reference also to the Southampton replica; and cuddling a recently retrieved ('nother story...!) and well-worn Irvin jacket prompts me to start a thread on Clive Du Cros' wooden Spitfire.
Clive is a remarkable bloke who nurtured from childhood an ambition to fly a Spitfire.
The trouble was, with Spitfires at a million quid and...oh yes...zero flying experience(!) He decided to build one.
Over the course of ten years he designed and built a full size replica of the prototype, powered by a V12 Jaguar engine, complete with custom-made reduction gear and a Harvard prop.
The story is well documented in Clives book - I think it was called 'On Wooden Wings' but can't quite remember as my copy was lent (forever it seems...) years ago.
During the build he decided to learn to fly. So, off he went to the nearest flying club and did it on a Tomahawk. Just kidding there - that wouldn't be Clive at all! He found a pile of bits that used to be Messenger G-AKBO, restored that to flying condition and leaned on it!
Back to the project - it finally flew with the great Peter Thorne (ex BBMF).
After several hours of testing and a catalogue of problems, mainly cooling, came the day and Clive flew it just once. Whether it was a pouting bottie or 'I've done it now, lets me resume my life after a 10-year interruption - who knows.
Unfortunately, whilst being tested for a full Permit it suffered a gear-up landing accident, I believe through mismanagement of the controls and being a one piece machine, it was sawn in 2 behind the cockpit and lorried off.
There was talk of it flying again ( I talked about it!) but regrettably, it suffered an even worse fate by having its wings sawn through to become a trailerable exhibit.
I last saw it at RIAT with a 'sit in a Spitfire' sandwich board alongside.
What a shame...
I went on to acquire G-AKBO and this nurtured my interest in everything MMMmmmiles (see my thread on this forum).
Clive was involved in the CofA that became due 8 months after acquisition and I got to know him and Britt, his long suffering (and now unfortunately 'ex') wife quite well.
I say, 'quite well' because Clive is a man of mystery and great depth - I doubt if anybody has ever got to know the inner bloke.
What about the Irvin? Clive wore it in the Spit and sold it to me when he decided to give up flying and move to Spain.
The last I heard he had taken up boating there......
Great guy, great memories. Anybody else out there know him?
I would love to send him a hello and catch up on his news.
HP
Clive is a remarkable bloke who nurtured from childhood an ambition to fly a Spitfire.
The trouble was, with Spitfires at a million quid and...oh yes...zero flying experience(!) He decided to build one.
Over the course of ten years he designed and built a full size replica of the prototype, powered by a V12 Jaguar engine, complete with custom-made reduction gear and a Harvard prop.
The story is well documented in Clives book - I think it was called 'On Wooden Wings' but can't quite remember as my copy was lent (forever it seems...) years ago.
During the build he decided to learn to fly. So, off he went to the nearest flying club and did it on a Tomahawk. Just kidding there - that wouldn't be Clive at all! He found a pile of bits that used to be Messenger G-AKBO, restored that to flying condition and leaned on it!
Back to the project - it finally flew with the great Peter Thorne (ex BBMF).
After several hours of testing and a catalogue of problems, mainly cooling, came the day and Clive flew it just once. Whether it was a pouting bottie or 'I've done it now, lets me resume my life after a 10-year interruption - who knows.
Unfortunately, whilst being tested for a full Permit it suffered a gear-up landing accident, I believe through mismanagement of the controls and being a one piece machine, it was sawn in 2 behind the cockpit and lorried off.
There was talk of it flying again ( I talked about it!) but regrettably, it suffered an even worse fate by having its wings sawn through to become a trailerable exhibit.
I last saw it at RIAT with a 'sit in a Spitfire' sandwich board alongside.
What a shame...
I went on to acquire G-AKBO and this nurtured my interest in everything MMMmmmiles (see my thread on this forum).
Clive was involved in the CofA that became due 8 months after acquisition and I got to know him and Britt, his long suffering (and now unfortunately 'ex') wife quite well.
I say, 'quite well' because Clive is a man of mystery and great depth - I doubt if anybody has ever got to know the inner bloke.
What about the Irvin? Clive wore it in the Spit and sold it to me when he decided to give up flying and move to Spain.
The last I heard he had taken up boating there......
Great guy, great memories. Anybody else out there know him?
I would love to send him a hello and catch up on his news.
HP
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Not much to add except I saw it in a hangar at Hullavington back in 1996 I think it was......
Why was it Silver overall and not Blue like the 'real' K5054 ?
Will it definately not fly again ???
Why was it Silver overall and not Blue like the 'real' K5054 ?
Will it definately not fly again ???
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K5054 wasn't strictly light blue when she first flew - she was more of a silvery-grey. The exact colour is still a big debate nowadays!
If you look closely at photos of Clive's plane and the real thing, the replica portrays the aircraft as it first flew (with the extended rudder horn balance and circular (instead of oval) exhausts).
K5054 (the real one) was repainted and modified sometime later, including the new shape rudder horn and the blue paint. The Spitfire Society's replica is depicted as such.
The Du Cros replica is now a static, having been damaged a couple of times and, so I've heard, was sawn in half behind the cockpit at one point - not good for the airframe!
PS - First of the Few is on TV this afternoon
If you look closely at photos of Clive's plane and the real thing, the replica portrays the aircraft as it first flew (with the extended rudder horn balance and circular (instead of oval) exhausts).
K5054 (the real one) was repainted and modified sometime later, including the new shape rudder horn and the blue paint. The Spitfire Society's replica is depicted as such.
The Du Cros replica is now a static, having been damaged a couple of times and, so I've heard, was sawn in half behind the cockpit at one point - not good for the airframe!
PS - First of the Few is on TV this afternoon
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Slightly off K5054 subject but still on replica Spits, whats the story behind the one at the Maes Atro museum nextdoor to QinetiQ Llanbedr (North Wales).
I hear that somebody bunged a car engine in and used to taxi it about. I'm guessing its a bit of a myth however that it once got airborne...
I hear that somebody bunged a car engine in and used to taxi it about. I'm guessing its a bit of a myth however that it once got airborne...
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Will it fly again?
THe short answer is - very unlikely indeed.
OK, like any pile of bits - throw plenty of time and money at it and whatever you have left will fly again.
In the case of Clives creation, yes it was sawn in half behind the cockpit, mainly because the whole aircraft was made in one piece and it needed to fit on a truck after it got stuffed - ending up in the middle of a field.
At that time, I did discuss the project with Clive, who felt that it could be obtained from its new owner fairly cheaply and - yes - the man himself agreed that he 'might get involved again' if the deal was right, and do a proper job of rejoining the fuz, repairing the underside etc..
Clive then disappeared to Spain - end of story.
The big groan thereafter is simply this -
Somebody made the decision to convert it to a permanent, roadable static exhibit and sawed the wings off..Ugh!
I also bet that the fuz was joined together in a non-airworthy way.
THe wings are then simply bolted back onto the fuz - a set of steps placed alongside and - 'roll up roll up - come and sit in a Spitfire for a quid.' (For a worthy cause I'm sure)
Whoever 'chainsawed through those spars effectively 'grounded forever' the fruits of 10 years of blood, sweat and tears.
Maybe somebody involved in the 'static programme' could come onto this forum to give their side of it.
Maybe I'm being a bit harsh (maybe not harsh enough...??)
HP
OK, like any pile of bits - throw plenty of time and money at it and whatever you have left will fly again.
In the case of Clives creation, yes it was sawn in half behind the cockpit, mainly because the whole aircraft was made in one piece and it needed to fit on a truck after it got stuffed - ending up in the middle of a field.
At that time, I did discuss the project with Clive, who felt that it could be obtained from its new owner fairly cheaply and - yes - the man himself agreed that he 'might get involved again' if the deal was right, and do a proper job of rejoining the fuz, repairing the underside etc..
Clive then disappeared to Spain - end of story.
The big groan thereafter is simply this -
Somebody made the decision to convert it to a permanent, roadable static exhibit and sawed the wings off..Ugh!
I also bet that the fuz was joined together in a non-airworthy way.
THe wings are then simply bolted back onto the fuz - a set of steps placed alongside and - 'roll up roll up - come and sit in a Spitfire for a quid.' (For a worthy cause I'm sure)
Whoever 'chainsawed through those spars effectively 'grounded forever' the fruits of 10 years of blood, sweat and tears.
Maybe somebody involved in the 'static programme' could come onto this forum to give their side of it.
Maybe I'm being a bit harsh (maybe not harsh enough...??)
HP
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Weren't there sets of plans made for the Du Cros replica?
Also, does anyone know where I could get hold of Clive's Book, Birth of a Spitfire I think it's called? (Funny feeling I've asked this before!)
Also, does anyone know where I could get hold of Clive's Book, Birth of a Spitfire I think it's called? (Funny feeling I've asked this before!)
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Plans/ Book
Hi RL,
Clive did sell several sets of plans, mainly as a consequence of pressure from would - be emulators.
I was with him once when some guy in the USA - building one but sticking an Allison in it(!) - was threatening legal action simply because one of the drawings wasn't detailed enough.
Clive was horrified to learn that such a deviation from his original design was contemplated, got pooey pantz at the sheer though of the sure-bet post-smokin' hole product liability nightmare and decided to withdraw from the whole plans thing as a ghastly mistake.
As far as the book is concerned, I'll keep my eyes out for a copy for you, or rather two as I lent mine out, permanently it would seem.......
HP
Clive did sell several sets of plans, mainly as a consequence of pressure from would - be emulators.
I was with him once when some guy in the USA - building one but sticking an Allison in it(!) - was threatening legal action simply because one of the drawings wasn't detailed enough.
Clive was horrified to learn that such a deviation from his original design was contemplated, got pooey pantz at the sheer though of the sure-bet post-smokin' hole product liability nightmare and decided to withdraw from the whole plans thing as a ghastly mistake.
As far as the book is concerned, I'll keep my eyes out for a copy for you, or rather two as I lent mine out, permanently it would seem.......
HP
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Bob de Ford's Allison V-12 powered full size wooden Spitfire replica flew for the first time last year, although his was built from Marcel Jurca's plans I believe. There's some video of it out there in web-land somewhere. Can't wait to see it at Oshkosh!
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Hairyplane - cheers for that. Let me know if you find anything!
I had always wondered what had happened to Clive's plan, but strange to think that an American would stick such an high-powered engine into it when it's only designed for a Jaguar!
The Bob DeFord footage can be viewed by going to Spitfire replicas, clicking on "Spitfire Times" and heading to Bob's picture at the foot of the page - there are two videos, both about 2 1/2 minutes long each, with lots of nice air-to-air.
(PS - remember to sign my guestbook!
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I had always wondered what had happened to Clive's plan, but strange to think that an American would stick such an high-powered engine into it when it's only designed for a Jaguar!
The Bob DeFord footage can be viewed by going to Spitfire replicas, clicking on "Spitfire Times" and heading to Bob's picture at the foot of the page - there are two videos, both about 2 1/2 minutes long each, with lots of nice air-to-air.
(PS - remember to sign my guestbook!
)
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There are at least three, maybe more Jurca MJ100 Spits being built - two in the States (Allison-powered), another in Canada, and a fourth possibly for a New Zealand bloke.
Anyone know anything more?
Anyone know anything more?
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Damien, you are right my friend, K5054 replica will indeed be at my ABINGDON FAYRE event on 2 May at Abingdon
www.abingdonfayre.latest-info.com
www.abingdonfayre.latest-info.com
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Chopped up flying machine...
So who actually made the decision that it should/ could never fly again and thus sawed the wings through?
Was it irrecoverable as a flyer at that point?
HP
Was it irrecoverable as a flyer at that point?
HP
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Spitfire Rep at Abbo
Least we won't have to park that one!!!
Neil
Noticed on a BoBMF site that they have you down and agreed to real version of the grounded one...
Looking forward to that weekend!
Agree with Damien... Stonking day out!
Hairyplane...Agree it's criminal what has been done to this example of one man's passion and totally agree too with the absurdity of letting classics rot in hangars as featured on the Mmmmmmiles thread.
Happy & safe aviating
Neil
Noticed on a BoBMF site that they have you down and agreed to real version of the grounded one...
Looking forward to that weekend!
Agree with Damien... Stonking day out!
Hairyplane...Agree it's criminal what has been done to this example of one man's passion and totally agree too with the absurdity of letting classics rot in hangars as featured on the Mmmmmmiles thread.
Happy & safe aviating
