Happy 75th Birthday
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Happy 75th Birthday
75 years today she first flew.....
had to mention it!
Vickers Supermarine Spitfire Type 300 Prototype K5054
had to mention it!
Vickers Supermarine Spitfire Type 300 Prototype K5054
Gnome de PPRuNe
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We raised a glass in the pub tonight! A proper aeroplane.
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If only that £51 million had been mine on friday night. Forget the big house, the flash cars, I would blow whatever portion was needed to buy / maintain and enjoy this thoroughbred. Any one else ?
Thanks R J Mitchell, you neve rknew what you had made, that's the tragedy.
Thanks R J Mitchell, you neve rknew what you had made, that's the tragedy.
buy / maintain and enjoy this thoroughbred. Any one else ?
Spitfire Mk26B Club, Enstone Flying Club, Oxfordshire
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Happy 75th
I was lucky enough yesterday to be flying with my old V-Force pilot on his last solo trip when we were advised by ATC that the Grace Spitfire ML 407 would grace us and pass down our starboard side. It was a magical moment for me, but it was just too little notice for me to get the camera out in time and will only show as a small dot in the distance. However, as Cliff Spink wished my pilot well for his future he was off to Duxford on the Spitfire's 75th anniversary.
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Mr Mitchell's Masterpiece
At Christmas, I had the pleasure of chatting to a 90+yr old gentleman, the uncle of a friend of mine. He grew up in the Southampton area in the inter-war years, and is blessed with totally clear recall of those halcyon days.
So there we are, he with whiskey & small cigar in hand (myself lending assistance on the whisky front), when he casually mentions that the father of his male playmate next door (in Southampton) was a jolly nice chap called Mr Mitchell, who designed aeroplanes. Mr Mitchell was kind enough to allow him to sit in the cockpit of the of the Supermarine S6B racer when it won the Schneider Trophy (he had been allowed to go to Calshot Spit with Mitchell junior on that most auspicious day).
As you can imagine, my chin is firmly on the floor by now, when he follows up with the killer punch by telling me about a thoroughly decent Spanish gentleman, who often visited the Mitchell home. He used to make rather good paper aeroplanes for these two boys. His name was Juan de la Cierva (google 'Autogyro').
I'm now in full-blown seizure & he starts talking about the RAF Marine Craft Unit at Calshot Spit. I knew that Aircraftman Shaw (aka Lawrence of Arabia) was based there, but thankfully the Old Boy had never met him, or I fear I would not have survived to bore you with this tale.
I am trying to persuade his niece (delightful popsie) to record the old gentleman's recollections; he is truly a living archive. I subsequently brought a book about Spitfires for him to view; he was transported back to his youth for a happy hour or so.
Ad Astra!
HB
So there we are, he with whiskey & small cigar in hand (myself lending assistance on the whisky front), when he casually mentions that the father of his male playmate next door (in Southampton) was a jolly nice chap called Mr Mitchell, who designed aeroplanes. Mr Mitchell was kind enough to allow him to sit in the cockpit of the of the Supermarine S6B racer when it won the Schneider Trophy (he had been allowed to go to Calshot Spit with Mitchell junior on that most auspicious day).
As you can imagine, my chin is firmly on the floor by now, when he follows up with the killer punch by telling me about a thoroughly decent Spanish gentleman, who often visited the Mitchell home. He used to make rather good paper aeroplanes for these two boys. His name was Juan de la Cierva (google 'Autogyro').
I'm now in full-blown seizure & he starts talking about the RAF Marine Craft Unit at Calshot Spit. I knew that Aircraftman Shaw (aka Lawrence of Arabia) was based there, but thankfully the Old Boy had never met him, or I fear I would not have survived to bore you with this tale.
I am trying to persuade his niece (delightful popsie) to record the old gentleman's recollections; he is truly a living archive. I subsequently brought a book about Spitfires for him to view; he was transported back to his youth for a happy hour or so.
Ad Astra!
HB
Last edited by Halton Brat; 7th Mar 2011 at 11:59.
About 30 years ago I was fortunate enough to sit in the cockpit of a fully restored Spitfire Mk22, when I was a teenager, just as I was beginning my military flying training (in completely different aircraft, I should add ....). It gave me renewed enthusiasm to suceed as a military pilot, and I did. Sadly, the Spit Mk22 was later destroyed in a fatal flying accident. The pilot/operator of the Spit had grown up with my mother ..... 
Tezzer
I think RJ knew exactly what he'd made. Sadly, he just never lived long enough to see her perform...
Thanks RJ , and all the guys and gals who made, serviced, and flew her.
Thanks RJ , and all the guys and gals who made, serviced, and flew her.
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At RAF Waddington in the early 80's I was part of the RAF Regiment display for the annual Airshow. The BoB Flight came in the day before and a mate and I were allowed to crawl all over the three aircraft. I had my mate take numerous photos of me in the cockpit of all three, standing on the wing and beside them too. Happy as a sandboy I took the film into Boots to be processed. The useless f$cking b'stards lost it.... 
I'm still scarred by the loss... Useless, useless bastiges!!!!
I'm still scarred by the loss... Useless, useless bastiges!!!!
