Crashed WW2 Spitfire flies again after £3m refit
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Crashed WW2 Spitfire flies again after £3m refit
Last edited by exmanman; 11th Mar 2017 at 12:19. Reason: URL
Gnome de PPRuNe
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Peter Arnold could probably tell us how much original metal went into the rebuild apart from the data plate, but I'll wager almost nothing. I'm perfectly happy to see this aeroplane emerge as a two-seater and maybe I'll get a ride in it one day. If MH434 got a back seat I'd call foul.
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Wow, that is indeed a substantial hulk!
I'm ambivalent about two-seat Spifires.
I think they are ugly, but without them, I wouldn't have been able to fly one!
I think they are ugly, but without them, I wouldn't have been able to fly one!
Chap came up the tower at Fairoaks about 3 years ago to pay a landing fee for an aircraft coming to pick him up. He gazed at the view and casually mentioned 'my father used to own this airport'!!
At that time he said he was managing an aircraft museum in the USA.
I didn't mention I'd met him before in his younger days when he was in the habit of riding a motorbike through the lines of parked aircraft at Blackbushe after dark; all you could see was his brake light.
At that time he said he was managing an aircraft museum in the USA.
I didn't mention I'd met him before in his younger days when he was in the habit of riding a motorbike through the lines of parked aircraft at Blackbushe after dark; all you could see was his brake light.
Gnome de PPRuNe
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That would be David Arnold I think, Doug's son. Might be another? Peter is not related; between them, Doug and Peter recovered quite a few of the surviving Spitfires.
The picture from the Mail online showed the aircraft being run up without it's engine cowls. It also showed a row of what looked like circular ports along the underside of the leading edge.
The Spitfire was described as being a "Low Level" aircraft. Does anyone know if the ports were an adaption for airflow for low level or just access points for the wing? (I thought the usual adaption for low level was clipped wings.)
The Spitfire was described as being a "Low Level" aircraft. Does anyone know if the ports were an adaption for airflow for low level or just access points for the wing? (I thought the usual adaption for low level was clipped wings.)
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Access points. Clipping the wings improved rate of roll.
Were they typical on all Spitfires? I don't remember seeing access points there on Spitfire wings before, but it might just be that they were always covered and I didn't take note of them.
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My only immediate reference are some 1/48 kits, Mk1, MkIX and MkXVI, and a Seafire XV, all of which have them marked, looks like they are held in place by screws or dzus fasteners.
According to Peter Arnold on Flypast's forum, the picture Dave has kindly posted actually shows parts of NH341 (presumably the cockpit section) and wreckage from another Spitfire (the confetti?) which is also poised to make a comeback as a two seater in due course.
You can never have too many airworthy Spitfires in my opinion!
According to Peter Arnold on Flypast's forum, the picture Dave has kindly posted actually shows parts of NH341 (presumably the cockpit section) and wreckage from another Spitfire (the confetti?) which is also poised to make a comeback as a two seater in due course.
You can never have too many airworthy Spitfires in my opinion!
I have to admit I've never noticed them on a real Spitfire (or on my Airfix 1/72 Spit many years ago) so I suspect they were extremely well-fitting and therefore almost invisible under a couple of coats of Grey or Sky, as the case may be.
I have to admit I've never noticed them on a real Spitfire
Here's the only picture I could find:
wreckage from another Spitfire (the confetti?) which is also poised to make a comeback as a two seater in due course.
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ML295 is the next two seater, MJ271 is a complete airframe from the Aviodome museum which arrived at Duxford a few years ago.
Ginger!
Wonder what the dog's name was
Looks too black to be ginger. Now let me think!