Spitfire/Supermarine

[Splash]

Knew this would get your attention, Ozzy!!!  Just saw a great dogfight between a Spitfire (F/L Charlie Brown RAF flying instr - flying for and  flew Tornados) and a Messerschmidt ME109 (Mark Hanna - ex RAF fighter pilot) at a Warbirds Airshow at Duxford (Think thats correct) England.  Truly awesome!!!! There's 50 Spitfires flyin' today, and a Carolyn Grace the only woman who owns and flys a Spitfire (2 seater) husband Nick flew with the Red Arrows ( sadly died in a car crash).  And, Sadly, shortly after this show, Mark Hanna died flying his ME 109.  I gotta go see that show!!!!  Anyone ever been there?  Also I always wondered why, when I flew the spitfire on here why there was a slight delay between right and left gear raising and lowering.  It is unsynchronized, just like the old gooney bird.  Very realistic
Splash  

[ozzy72]

Hiya Splash. I used to be a regular at Duxford, I was briefly involved with the restoration of their EE Lightning as an air cadet many moons ago (seems like centuries).
Duxford is a must for warbird lovers. It is the mecca of warbirds in Europe. They restore Spitfires and other nice toys to flying condition, in fact its the home of the warbirds company.
They also supplied the pilots for James Bonds Tomorrow Never Dies opening sequence. The guys that own the company (father and son) are both ex-RAF fighter pilots.
I still desperately want to get a backseater in Carolyns T9, its gorgeous, I've seen it a few times, but its a couple of grand a pop, and a long waiting list! Just got to convince she-who-must-be-obeyed that this is a vital life experience.... She is coming round!
The Spits UC is unsynchronised if I remember correctly. But I'm normally to busy going into mental overload when I hear a Merlin cough into life. Wow!
If you can, you should get to Duxford just once (its on the M11 north of London on the way to Cambridge). It is just beyond words.

Mark

[HawkerTempest5]

The Flying Legends air show at Duxford is on Saturday the 12th and Sunday 13th July and is THE show for Warbird fans. I go every year (and to at least two other Duxford shows) and if I could choose only one show to see, it would be this one. Most years you get to see about eight Spits flying and the mass flypast at the end is worth the money alone.

[Splash]

Ah Man, I gotta come across the pond to see that. Even wrote down the directions.  You lucky bugger, HawkerTempest.  They did show a little of the mass flypast.  Awesome!!  I taped that show and watched it 3 times yesterday.  Carolyn Grace's Spitfire is very expensive to maintain and fly, I guess and she needs funding to keep it going.  Her two children help her with it since the death of her husband.   Are there any other 2 seaters?  Too bad, it really is a beauty.
Splash

[ozzy72]

There are a few T9s around. I believe there is one in California at the moment, just a rumour that reached me....
If you go to http://www.spitfires.flyer.co.uk/survivors.html you'll find the full list by types.

Mark

[HawkerTempest5]

There is at least one T9 flying in the US and there are two airworthy T9's in the UK with a third under rebuild at Duxford. Interestingly, they say they are going to operate this T9 in it's Irish Air Corps markings with the origional style higher rear cockpit fitted.

[Splash]

Mental overload with a merlin coughin' into life huh?  What happens when you hear a Lancaster with 4 ole merlins coughin' into life? lol  7000 built, only 2 flyin' today?  one in Canada and the other flown by the RAF at a  base in England (Cant remember which one).  So you must have seen and heard that one huh?  Apparently there is another restored but only taxis, dont fly
Splash

[Rifleman]

When they bring out the CWH Lanc along with the Hurri and form up in the air with a Spit....it will make you shudder.....I know, I've seen them fly over Mt Hope...

[Splash]

Lanc, Spit and Hurricane together?  Wow!!!  I'd love to see that, Rifleman.  Excuse my ignorance but where is Mt Hope/ or where can you see them?   Geez! I cant get the sight or sound of those out of my head now.
Splash

[ozzy72]

Having noticed the talk about the two seater. I came across this photo of a P40 which seems to have the inside of the cockpit fitted for a passenger (don't know if it's for training or a special joyride arrangement).

Can anyone shed light or am I just dreaming?

The area behind the pilots seat (which was normally blank) seems to have area for a second seat and the cockpit conopy goes back over what would normally be the blanked out area.

[ozzy72]

Looks like its been modified for joyriding. Nice!
If you want exciting Splash, then you have to see the BBMF (Battle Of Britain Memorial Flight) in action. A Spitfire, Lancaster, and Hurricane bizzing along. Wow! So good I have to change my underwear from excessive excitement!

Ozzy

[Rifleman]

The Spit Hurri and Lanc is not a usual sight, but there was an occasion for them to form up and I was fortunate enough to see it....the Lanc, Spit, and Hurri used to fly from Hamilton's Mt Hope in Ontario, Canada and were owned by the Canadian Warplane Heritage........I had forgotten about the fire in which we lost the Spit and Hurri, now I'm not sure of their situation with the remaining birds......I used to take in the airshow there, back a few yrs ago.....the best way to see the show was to park in a farmers yard then walk 1/4 mile through his field to wind up about half a mile from the threshold of the active.......in line too, if you were daring enough.....I almost forgot, there was an addition one year.........wanna eat your hearts out now ?

[ozzy72]

Mosquito, drool drool. Two merlins. Yummy.

Mark

[HawkerTempest5]

Having noticed the talk about the two seater. I came across this photo of a P40 which seems to have the inside of the cockpit fitted for a passenger (don't know if it's for training or a special joyride arrangement).

Can anyone shed light or am I just dreaming?

The area behind the pilots seat (which was normally blank) seems to have area for a second seat and the cockpit conopy goes back over what would normally be the blanked out area.

I've nerver seen a two seat P-40 before, but a number of Warbirds have been converted over the years to take an extra seat. A very large number of P-51's flying today have had a second seat fitted.

[HawkerTempest5]

Can't beat Rifleman's Lanc, Spit, Hurri and Mosquito pic, but here's our own "Live Lancaster" duo.

Battle of Britain Memorial Flight Avro Lancaster PA474 with Spitfire Vb AB910 and Hurricane IIc PZ865.

Based just down the road from BBMF's home at RAF Coningsby, is this fully ground running Lancaster, "Just Jane". This Lanc. does taxi runs with all four Merlins running and a few years ago had it's tail wheel off the ground whilst making a TV show.