Airbourne 2011 - warbirds

[BigTruck]

The shot of the Hurri bomber is excellent, my favorite!
As far as the Spit, was the second cockpit for training purposes or did they just add it to take tourists up in the air?

That's where R2D2 sat when Skywalker was flying Spits.

[C]

The shot of the Hurri bomber is excellent, my favorite!
As far as the Spit, was the second cockpit for training purposes or did they just add it to take tourists up in the air?

The Tr.9 was a postwar development, converting Mk IXs, quite a few of which had seen WW2 service (the most famous, ML407 - the Grace Spitfire - achieving he first allied kill on D-Day in the hands of the Kiwi Johnnie Houlton). Around 20 were built for the Indian, Dutch and Egyptian Air Forces, and the Irish Air Corps. Several have now been restored, either as two seaters, or in one or two cases, they've been restored in their original configuration (such as ML417, formerly of The Fighter Collection, now in the USA).

That said, there were several "field conversions" performed on Mk V and IXs, generally involving removing the fuel tank in front of the cockpit, and adding a seat and controls in its place. The Soviets also "field converted" some airframes, although to a more uniform standard, adding a second cockpit behind the original one. Seeing as on the Tr.9 they moved the front cockpit forwards, it must have played havoc with the centre of gravity!

[Hagar]

The shot of the Hurri bomber is excellent, my favorite!
As far as the Spit, was the second cockpit for training purposes or did they just add it to take tourists up in the air?

Thanks. Here's the history of IAC161, the Spitfire Tr.9 in my photos. http://www.arc-duxford.co.uk/spitTix.htm

[Club508]

Nice Shots!

Wait, I know Ozzy likes spitfires, but does he actually have one?

[Hagar]

Nice Shots!

Thanks. [smiley=thumbsup.gif]

Wait, I know Ozzy likes spitfires, but does he actually have one?

By "Ozzy's Spitfire" I meant the one in his sig pic.


I took that photo at Duxford back in 2005 during its first public display after being fully restored & painted in its original Irish Air Corps markings. It's the same aircraft as the one in this topic.

Mark had a guided tour of the workshops where it was restored & has sat in the cockpit of that particular Spit. He actually started building his own Spitfire some time ago but I believe the project has been put on hold.

[C]

I took that photo at Duxford back in 2005 during its first public display after being fully restored & painted in its original Irish Air Corps markings. It's the same aircraft as the one in this topic.

Its second restoration of course, following its fatal accident a couple of years previously. :-? I notice they don't carry the serial now even though it's in an RAF colour scheme (albeit a BoB one).

[Hagar]

I took that photo at Duxford back in 2005 during its first public display after being fully restored & painted in its original Irish Air Corps markings. It's the same aircraft as the one in this topic.

Its second restoration of course, following its fatal accident a couple of years previously. :-?

I didn't go into detail as it's all in the link I posted. http://www.arc-duxford.co.uk/spitTix.htm

I notice they don't carry the serial now even though it's in an RAF colour scheme (albeit a BoB one).

Seems a rather odd choice to me. I suppose if you're wealthy enough to own an airworthy Spit you can paint it in any markings you like.

[hyperpep111]

Cool Which spitfire is that? 8-) And That piper does look off

[Club508]

Wow!  Same one!  I wonder if he'll switch his signature image to match the new paint.

[C]

Seems a rather odd choice to me. I suppose if you're wealthy enough to own an airworthy Spit you can paint it in any markings you like.

Lol, yep!

[patchz]

Wonderful shots Doug.