Did any else notice today as Spitfire TE 248 departed from Fairford there appeared to be a couple of bits of ‘debris’ fly off and fall on the grass to the side of the runway.
There was some speculation via SW radio that it was part of the canopy?
Aircraft departed and did not return,I assume all is OK.
By: Learning_Slowly - 22nd July 2004 at 13:00
It was nice that you taxied closer to the crowd at Leg Ends and really showed your enthusiam as you taxied in 🙂
Plus it is the only way I get good pictures on my little camera
By: Tbirdman - 22nd July 2004 at 12:53
Pilot looks cute too! 😎
T
By: Franck66 - 20th July 2004 at 15:32
Photo taken just before the Legends, This Spit is really beautifull
By: Arm Waver - 20th July 2004 at 14:52
Don’t feel too bad Ray… We, up here in Banburyshire, don’t get to see many flying about in our airspace.
By: Ray Jade - 20th July 2004 at 14:28
Ray,
TD248 departed Fairford and lost its canopy on Monday. You probably saw the BBMF Spits on Sunday evening – they displayed and then departed.
Ahh. I’m not really up to speed with all the different Spitfires flying around so I didn’t appreciate the difference. I’ll go stand in the corner for a bit. 😮
By: Arabella-Cox - 20th July 2004 at 13:15
Ray,
TD248 departed Fairford and lost its canopy on Monday. You probably saw the BBMF Spits on Sunday evening – they displayed and then departed.
By: Ray Jade - 20th July 2004 at 09:55
They (two spits anyhow) flew over here rather slowly and in much closer formation Sunday late afternoon. Guess I know why now. I was really raining hard – I hope the pilot had a brolly 🙂
BTW, the BBMF Lanc went over a few of minutes before but much lower than usual (I’d guess around 1500 ft). Nice.
By: Mark12 - 20th July 2004 at 09:40
What’s the damage?
Losing a ‘teardrop’ canopy on a Spitfire can cause quite a lot of damage.
A certain Seafire 46 that I latterly became involved with, was detached from trials at Boscombe Down to attend the BoB day event at RAF Little Rissington in 1946. It was thought, according to the accident report, that access to the cockpit by the public during the event had resulted in the emergency release ball being partially pulled. The aircraft lost its canopy on take off returning to Boscombe. The damage was such that aircraft had to be ‘roaded’ to an RN Air Yard for repair and a replacement aircraft assigned to continue the testing.
Many many years later, whilst re-skinning/re-riveting the area of the cockpit slider track, witness marks were still evident where the slider had ‘brinelled’ the track.
Anybody with photos of the LA564 at Little Rissington, one step forward please.
Let us hope the damage is zero/minimal to TD248.
Mark
By: stewart1a - 19th July 2004 at 22:34
hope shes ok an gets a new canopy
By: Manonthefence - 19th July 2004 at 22:31
It was TD248 and yes it did lose the canopy. He said over the radio that he would continue to Duxford.
The Airfield Follow Me crews then spent an hour searching the wrong end of the runway for the missing bits.
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July 19, 2004 at 10:27 pm