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:

Plenty of other elderly aeroplanes undertake lengthy adventures, probably with nothing like the support. A New Zealand registered Comanche 250 landed at Wick yesterday from Reykjavik, the couple flying it are undertaking a leisurely round the world tour... the aircraft is perhaps twenty years younger than the Spitfire, probably done at lot more flying and perhaps without the benefit of a major rebuild.

I think It's a great endeavour and wish them very well.

OK, probably not the most practicable round the world aircraft, but hey ho, their aeroplane, their money. Good luck, safe flying

IT'S simply a marvellous marketing wheeze. I can only wish them the best of luck and hope it all runs like clockwork - their sponsors do have watches to sell after all.
Somewhat pathetically the project main website doesn't even announce they have taken off but does provides an elaborate video to promote the 'Pilot Watch' collection. Their 'top of the range' model is yours for just over 11k. I would have to buy one 'on tick' - as it were!
Apart from that, as someone else once said of a similar exercise, it's all really rather point to pointless . . .

[Where are they now, maybe 'weathered in' at Lossiemouth, the 'escort' OY-THP seems to have U-turned. Who knows, no one is tellin'!]

See link in post #12. That shows the Spit departing from Lossie at 10:00Z and a returning about an hour later.

OY-THP flew to Reykjavik this afternoon.

Keep the data plate in a drawer. Should the aircraft be lost just build a new one and use the data plate.

Fareastdriver, you naughty person!

Nomad, possible that neither Steve Brooks or Matt Jones have a DA so low passes are verboten?

If it ever entered my head to risk my spitfire (!) by flying it around the world I certainly wouldn't be tempting fate any further by indulging in unnecessary aerobatics along the way.

You can hardly compare this with a Commanche. A Spit isn't a tough, simple plodding spamcan with a bulletproof aircooled engine, its a tetchy, high-maintenance, rather delicate, extremely complex machine with pneumatics and a highly complex short-life supercharged watercooled engine.

Of course I wish them well but wonder at the wisdom, let alone the purpose of this venture with such a historicaly valuable and unsuitable aircraft.

OY-THP is apparently returning from Reykjavik towards Lossiemouth now! :hmm:

Who would have though that the UK was still full of crazy schemes and people willing to throw money at them?? :hmm:

And a flying golf cart.....

I thought walking was integral to the game. Next they'll have machines to do the driving and putting so you don't throw your back out.

They have made it to BGKK ( Greenland )

That promo is really High Quality b*******! After each hole, you have to suit up, put the dome on and special gloves. Then reverse the sequence 1 minute later? You'll spend more time suiting than saved! :}

You can also be sure that your fellow golfers are REALLY going to appreciate how quiet that machine is ... they ensured you never heard it, close up at lift off. Still, some boys get to play for a bit until it get's shelved..

Back on thread...

G-IRTY has cracked on this evening and just arrived at Kangerlussuaq on Greenland's west coast, making up a bit of time for the weather delays at Lossie and Reykjavik. I assume they aim to cover the 350 odd miles to Broughton Island tomorrow, weather permitting. Then the next leg to Iqaluit perhaps, less than 300...