UK TV and hot kit

[ozzy72]

Carolyn Grace, owner and pilot of Spitfire Tr9 ML407/G-LFIX, loaned herself and the services of her aircraft to the makers of a new, four-part TV documentary to be screened in the UK from January 12th.  Entitled "Spitfire Ace", it follows the fortunes of four modern-day pilots who are given the chance to find out what it was like to fly Spitfires in 1940.  Looks to be some cracking flying shots of ML407, too!

Woof woof

[Hagar]

I was told about this programme last night. It sounds promising but I'm hedging my bets. These things are usually very disappointing, to me anyway.

Is "loaned" the right word? I would have thought Mrs Grace would charge something for her services. I'm sure the TV company can afford it. She needs the money to keep that beautiful Spitfire up & running.

[ozzy72]

I think its a polite euphemism for handed over a huge wad of cash. Personally I hope someone can record it for me

[C]

I'm sure they paid handsomely for the privilege. I think "Aeroplane" quoted 12 hours of air to air footage alone...

Charlie

[ozzy72]

Me want, me want, me want

[HawkerTempest5]

I'm looking forward to seeing this. Any new Spitfire footage has got to be worth watching. I MUST remember to tape it.

[Wing Nut]

Great.  You guys get two hours of Spitfires and we get 2 hours of Paris Hilton sticking her hand up a cows you-know-what...

[ozzy72]

Time to move Pip

[Hagar]

Don't forget guys.

Toniight  - Monday 12th Jan. Channel 4 - 9 o'clock. (I think.) Better make sure.

[Hagar]

Well, I watched it & for once I'm glad I did.

if the the first of 4 x 1 hour long episodes is anything to go by it's very well done. A nice balance of history combined with flying sequences of Carolyn Grace putting a couple of young pilots through their paces in ML 407. Some nice shots of my old favourite Tiger Moth too.

Geoffrey Wellum is one of the featured ex-BoB pilots. First time I've seen him. He seems a very nice chap, just as I expected from his biog. It would be great to meet him.

[C]

Glad I watched it too...

Interesting choice of aviators (I'd met a couple of the guys (the two service ones) on my travels in the past couple of years). Thoroughly pleased P/O John Sweet got to fly the Spit...

My only criticism would be the choice of instructors, as I think getting an RAF Spit QFI (ie F/L Charlie Brown) to do the training would have been a bit more realistic in doing it the "RAF" way, although as they were using Carolyn Grace's Spit I can understand why they did it as they did.

Anyway, good programme, may be interesting to see how they fill 3 more hour long shows and keep Joe public entertained...

The programme before, "Nazi Grand Prix", about Richard Seaman was interesting too.

Charlie

[Hagar]

The programme before, "Nazi Grand Prix", about Richard Seaman was interesting too.

I missed half of it but agree it was excellent. The story seemed vaguely familiar so I'm sure I've read about it some time in the past. I felt there could only be one ending. I was right.

[Hagar]

My only criticism would be the choice of instructors, as I think getting an RAF Spit QFI (ie F/L Charlie Brown) to do the training would have been a bit more realistic in doing it the "RAF" way, although as they were using Carolyn Grace's Spit I can understand why they did it as they did.

I would have to disagree here. Carolyn Grace is one of the finest Spitfire display pilots in the world. I have a great deal of respect & admiration for what she has achieved & certainly wouldn't object to having her as my instructor.

I did think the doco could give some people the mistaken impression that 2-seater Spitfires were used for training RAF BoB pilots. According to Geoffrey Wellum's "First Light" he had an advanced training course on the Harvard before joining his squadron. His instructor was an experienced old-timer with the rank of Sergeant Pilot.

Wellum was a regular officer & had joined the RAF just before WWII started. Things were different later on when I understand that many new pilots went straight from a Tiger Moth or Maggie on to a single seat Spitfire or Hurricane when they joined an operational squadron. This was also mentioned by some of the ex-BoB pilots in the programme. I'm not sure where the 9 hours training they based the series on comes into it.

[C]

I would have to disagree here. Carolyn Grace is one of the finest Spitfire display pilots in the world. I have a great deal of respect & admiration for what she has achieved & certainly wouldn't object to having her as my instructor

I won't disagree with you there. I've met Carolyn Grace myself in the past, and she is truly an inspirational character, as well as a very talented aviatrix (with a very nice aeroplane). I just think as they were doing it in a loose "RAF" context, that having a serving/retired service instructor may have been more interesting, although in the general entertainment value of the programme, Carolyn Grace was probably the correct choice (although Charlie Brown's fighter pilot moustache* would have been entertaining too...)

Charlie

*might be a spelling mistake there...

[HawkerTempest5]

I thought it was a very good program. I'm glad they added the history and had real BoB pilots in there too. Some superb air to air of ML407.
I'm looking forward to the next part.
Just one point, it was stated that ML407 was the only two seat Spit operational, but that's not true. Maybe it's the only duel control Spit (I should know this )