Around the world in a Spitfire
 

It must be a lot of fun in such a beautiful airplane

​​​​​​https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/201...lying-classic/

I was earmarked for the Battle of Britain flight in 1973 but a last minute posting put an end to it.

That would have been a highlight in my RAF career.

:mad:

Take off reported as 13.30 (ish) today from Goodwood

Countdown clock here implies a 15:00 takeoff.

Edit: And this clock says something completely different. :O

There was a piece about it on BBC Breakfast around 0900 this morning from Duxford. I don't know whether it was live or filmed.

It was live, I think, though captioned "Goodwood" (didn't look like Duxford to me). It made mention of a takeoff at 13:30.

Yes, the TV caption said 'LIVE'

Appears G-IRTY The Silver Spitfire got airborne at 1232z today from Chichester and landed back at Chichester at 1249z.

Maybe a Tech issue perhaps?

I understand from Flypast that one of the regulars saw her heading north over his neck of the woods at about 2.30pm, accompanied by a PC-12 (OY-THP) and a helicopter.

Looks like currently at Newcastle, landed there about 1515.

FR24 shows a track for it ending heading north just NE of Midhurst at 1247Z, so a landing back at Goodwood 2 minutes later sounds a tad unlikely.

Weather en route Lossie looks like it may be a little thundery at the moment so perhaps the stop at Newcastle is precautionary.

Track, with timings, here: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/silver-spitfire/

On its way again, just about Berwick-on-Tweed as I type. Less than an hour...

I wonder how many round the world attempts start with a victory roll

Well, it reached Lossie.
Landed after the most non-exuberant arrival I've ever seen.
I understand they've got a way to go, but a beat up would have been nice.
Bon-Voyage gentlemen. Try to stay awake.

BBC South local news showed an interview with one of the pilots, in which he asserted that during the course of the restoration they had "drilled out 80,000 rivets".

Given that the Shacklebomber was fondly(?) referred to by its crews as "ten thousand loose rivets flying in close formation", I'd be fascinated to know how a Spit needs 8 times as many as that to nail it together.

I agree. Why risk such a valuable aircraft?

It's been done: