Simviation Forums

Millionaire plans to fly $2.2M '40s-era Spitfire


HAMILTON -- A 66-year-old multimillionaire who has never flown an airplane has paid $2.2 million for a restored Second World War Spitfire that he plans to learn to fly.

Ed Russell, an architect who successfully settled a $240-million sports complex lawsuit against Disney last fall, has purchased a Mark IX Spitfire believed to be one of first Allied aircraft to land in France after D-Day in 1944.


The plane, flown by 312 Squadron RAF, was restored and sold by Historic Flying Ltd. of Duxford, England, and is expected to be shipped to Canada this summer.

There are 51 airworthy Spitfires left in the world.

Although Russell is in England, the sale was confirmed yesterday by his secretary in Fonthill.

Rick Franks of the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum said the Spitfire will likely be based at Welland Airport and may well be joined by as many as three more historic aircraft, including another fighter.

"He says he's going to buy a Harvard and he's thinking about buying a Cornell or a Chipmunk."

WOW! :-) That would be nice...:-) Can we sue too?

that kinda spooks me, hopefully he will get proper training and gets A LoT of practice in other high performance tail wheel aircraft than just say "I passed the tests, why not fly it".... 1 of 51 kind aircraft there and hopefully nothing bad comes to it.

yeah he better be smart enough to learn how to fly before he flies it....;-( that wouldn't be cool if he didn't...:-(

And here she is!

Vickers Supernarine Spitfire LF MkIXc MK912, Mr. Russel's very own Spitfire (lucky sod) at last years Flying Legends airshow.
This plane was restored with clipped wings but Ed Russel asked for it to be fitted with standard wingtips.
There is a photo of MK912 with clipped wings at Pippins link in the specific aircraft forum