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Who has been in an Spit???

PostPosted: Fri May 27, 2005 5:07 pm
by Airbus_eurofighter
Hi! i make this topic because its my dream since 3 years ago!!!

Please say me who has been in an spit, what spit is, what did he/she feels, where did he goes to be in and how much is it :D

Its a lot but its the info to try to make true a dream

Zitin

Re: Who has been in an Spit???

PostPosted: Fri May 27, 2005 5:12 pm
by Craig.
sat in a spit at wallop airshow once but thats all. Sadly there are few who are offering rides these days. I dont think the Gracie spit is these days either. Ozzy?

Re: Who has been in an Spit???

PostPosted: Fri May 27, 2005 5:15 pm
by chomp_rock
I sat in one once, never flown in one though.

Re: Who has been in an Spit???

PostPosted: Fri May 27, 2005 5:36 pm
by Hagar
Brensec is probably the only member here who's actually flown in a Spitfire & as I remember that was many years ago. I don't think it had dual controls & he was very young at the time. Ozzy tried the new T.9 at Duxford recently. Check out his sig.

its my dream since 3 years ago!!!

It's been my dream for over 50 years & I haven't achieved it yet. I doubt I ever will now. I don't think I've actually sat in one although we had our very own Spitfire when I was in the ATC many years ago. The engine had been removed & we weren't allowed to sit in it on pain of death. :o ;)

I dont think the Gracie spit is these days either.

If you talk nicely to Carolyn Grace or John Romain & hand over loads of dosh you might be put on the end of a very long list.

Re: Who has been in an Spit???

PostPosted: Fri May 27, 2005 5:38 pm
by Craig.
Bren has? cool. Where has he been?? its been a long time since he was last on.

Re: Who has been in an Spit???

PostPosted: Fri May 27, 2005 5:44 pm
by Hagar
Bren has? cool. Where has he been?? its been a long time since he was last on.

This was out in Oz & he said it was painted some awful colour - orange or yellow. He wasn't too impressed as he prefers the P-40 anyway. Not sure where my old cobber's been recently. I know he was busy setting up his own website. Maybe Ozzy knows.

Re: Who has been in an Spit???

PostPosted: Fri May 27, 2005 6:55 pm
by C
Last time I heard Carolyn Grace had a long waiting list...

It must be possible though, with the exchange of enough cash in some cases, particularly in the UK where we now have 4 airworthy 2 seaters...

As for me, LA225, 1Sqns Mk 21 is the only one I've sat in...

Re: Who has been in an Spit???

PostPosted: Fri May 27, 2005 11:29 pm
by spirit1flyer
one time 8) and for about 10 minutes only   ::)  first war plane I was ever in :P

Re: Who has been in an Spit???

PostPosted: Sat May 28, 2005 6:17 am
by HawkerTempest5
When I was very, very young there was a small collection of WW2 aircraft at Blackpool airport, including NX611, "Just Jane" the Lancaster now at East Kirkby. There was a 262 (Hendon?) and a late Griffon Spitfire (F Mk 22/24 or possibly a low back MkXIV/XVIII) and I sat in that and had my photo taken. Have not seen the photo for a very long time and I can't remember much more about it other than I'm sure the Spit was silver coloured.

Re: Who has been in an Spit???

PostPosted: Sat May 28, 2005 8:11 am
by ozzy72
I've had my bottom in IAC-161 (formerly PV202) as Doug says. I'm also busy building a MkIX (the wife is not happy about the instruments and other parts taking over the livingroom at the moment, does anyone have any Spit parts? They'll be going to a good cause...)
Carolyn Grace does still take people up, it's about 2500 quid a ride, and the waiting list is over 2.5 years now.
John Romain will be using IAC-161 as an advanced trainer to get pilots onto warbirds, there is a nice article in this months Aeroplane when he took up Alex Henshaw for a spin ;)
Also there is PT462 working out of Duxford doing the rounds, I'm not sure if they offer flights in her or not...
There are 2 Tr.9s in the US one in Arizona (MJ772) and one recently went to California (ML417 I think the rear cockpit of this one has been covered to make her look like a single seater....)

Ozzy

Re: Who has been in an Spit???

PostPosted: Sat May 28, 2005 5:22 pm
by Airbus_eurofighter
2500???? well i get happy with sitting in one of that spits  do you know where can i do that??

Zitin

Re: Who has been in an Spit???

PostPosted: Sat May 28, 2005 5:30 pm
by Hagar
Carolyn Grace was at Shoreham today. Sadly I was in the wrong place to get a shot of ML407 on the approach. Fate doesn't seem to want me to get any decent shots of Spitfires. :'(

PS. Ozzy didn't mention that I took that shot in his sig. At least, it looks like mine. :P :D

Re: Who has been in an Spit???

PostPosted: Sat May 28, 2005 5:36 pm
by Craig.
[quote]2500???? well i get happy with sitting in one of that spits

Re: Who has been in an Spit???

PostPosted: Sat May 28, 2005 5:55 pm
by C
In the US there's also MT818 (T.Mk VIII) and another T.9, TE308...

one recently went to California (ML417 I think the rear cockpit of this one has been covered to make her look like a single seater....)

Ozzy


ML417 was restored in the mid 80s by Stephen Grey back to complete single seat configuration, ie the cockpit was moved back to its original position, and the rear fuselage rebuilt as standard. Went to Tom Friedkin in 2003...

There is a Spit in the states which is in this configuration though, with the rear cockpit removed, but the front cockpit still 12 inches forward. I'm trying to remember which it is. :) [edit]thats MJ772...[/edit]

Looks weird

http://www.warbirdregistry.org/spitregistry/spitfire-mj772.html

Re: Who has been in an Spit???

PostPosted: Sun May 29, 2005 2:01 am
by ozzy72
That isn't one of your photos Doug, I got it from another friend ;)