Oooooops!

I saw John Farley stand MH434 on it’s nose at Biggin Hill, 16-6-91, when ‘running up’ at the end of the runway, just prior to opening the air display. Sadly, I didn’t get a pic of it.

I just came across this post and have trouble believing it can be true!

I know John Farley did fly MH434 on occasions. There’s a photo somewhere on Google of JF at the controls.

Does anybody have any further information on this incident. I’ve never heard any mention of it before…

Out… Roxeth

hmm thats a pretty strange paint scheme on one of the nosed over spitfires, where did that come from, anyone able to enlighten me?

coanda

I saw John Farley stand MH434 on it’s nose at Biggin Hill, 16-6-91, when ‘running up’ at the end of the runway, just prior to opening the air display. Sadly, I didn’t get a pic of it.

WarbirdUK, thanks very much for explaining that, much appreciated. 🙂

Originally posted by warbirdUK
Steve, On our Spitifire Mk9 it went something like this….
Pre oil, Start up, stick ALWAYS held right back, warm up @ 850rpm, Mag check at around 1200rpm anything over that drape two bodies over the tail! Prop check at 1800rpm, don’t go over 1800rpm without the tail tied down & chocks tied into the tail strap, this is for an engineer ground running. A pilot will do his power checks as he sees fit. I have done one engine run up to 2400rpm with it all tied down & it has to be one of the most scary thing I have ever done, all though I would not have missed it for the world.

WarbirdUK, thanks very much for explaining that, much appreciated. 🙂 Surprisingly low revs for a mag drop check – it’s 2000 for a PA28, but then I’ve only got 161 horses to worry about! 😀

[i]I have to say that ground running a Mk9 Spitfire on Biggin Hill Airfield has to be the highlight of my aviation career (so far) [/B]

Stop it now, you’re making me VERY jealous… 😎

Far be it for me to argue with an obvious expert, but I’m sure that all Merlins and Griffons had a reduction ratio around 1:2 or 0.5
I’ve got a Rolls-Royce Heritage Trust book around written by A Rubbra and that talks about varying between something like 0.45 and 0.52, from memory.

A chap in my local was RAF groundcrew in the far east, (Singapore – and I can never remember which base), in the early 50s. He says that running the engines up on a Hornet was pretty terrifying. Sounds like classic British understatement to me.

As an aside, he was used to Vampires and the first time he tried to start a Venom, which apparently uses a cartridge starter, he was out of the cockpit and heading for the horizon at great speed.

It’s amazing what a little string, sealing wax & Yuhoo glue can do! good to know it’s on display though.

And it usually can be seen on display at the Southampton Hall of Aviation.

I believe that it is the one that is at RIAT. Yes, it is now in a camo scheme.

This thread is rather sad, what with all those pics of damaged a/c.

I think I read that the Du Cros replica has been acquired by the Spitifre Society (correct name?) and will be used as travelling, static exhibit, painted in brown/green camouflage.

If you are talking about the Clive Du Cross replica,

It was crashed at Keevil while on an air test, the remains eventualy went to the Ill fated Isle of Wight aircraft museum, from there I don’t know where it went! I was asked at one point to look at it as regards to rebuild to flying condition, I declined! It was originally well made, worked & was flown but the damage it had sustained really looked like you would have to start from scratch & real there was no mileage in that, Clive & his team did a fantastic job with the aircraft but my feelings were it was time to leave it as a static before it was damaged beyond recognition.

what ever happened to that Spitfire prototype, it would be nice to have a reproduction built that flies, how difficult would it be? Historic flying limited could do it? They build enough new spitfire parts? how different was a prototype spit to a mk1?

In short the only thing he would have known Is when the aircraft nosed over to far, I jacked the aeroplane in the hangar to see what angle you had to get to before the prop would make contact with the runway, the tail comes up an awfull long way & I cannot believe the pilot did not see it, he must have known about it. The prop would have been turning at somewhere around 652RPM at an engine speed of 3000RPM (I seem to remember the reduction gear is around 1to4.6 or something close) so the blades were very well ground off & aparently it had no vibration!

So, end result, a set of scrap blades! Good Game!

We did have a pilot who on the take off roll removed most of the yellow paint from the prop tips unfortunatly the wood from the blade went with it! & flew back to base 170 miles away without knowing! (he did not fly it again)

How *would* one know? Would the sound of the prop change? Would there be less available thrust? Or would there be an almighty splintering noise in the first place?

Originally posted by SteveYoung

Just out of interest, what’s the preferred way of stopping the tips from digging in during power checks on one of these?
Would be intrigued to know what the answer is.

Steve, On our Spitifire Mk9 it went something like this….
Pre oil, Start up, stick ALWAYS held right back, warm up @ 850rpm, Mag check at around 1200rpm anything over that drape two bodies over the tail! Prop check at 1800rpm, don’t go over 1800rpm without the tail tied down & chocks tied into the tail strap, this is for an engineer ground running. A pilot will do his power checks as he sees fit. I have done one engine run up to 2400rpm with it all tied down & it has to be one of the most scary thing I have ever done, all though I would not have missed it for the world.
We did have a pilot who on the take off roll removed most of the yellow paint from the prop tips unfortunatly the wood from the blade went with it! & flew back to base 170 miles away without knowing! (he did not fly it again)
I have to say that ground running a Mk9 Spitfire on Biggin Hill Airfield has to be the highlight of my aviation career (so far)

Thought you may like to see this picture! It happened on the 19th May 1996

When the gears not locked it walks back up into the wing from whence it came!
This picture has never been published before! It certainly gave me some more work!
U/C doors, Prop Blades, Rad fairing, Air intake, I had it flying within 5 weeks of the accident.

Originally posted by Lancman
Yeah that’s it, great, thanks!

(A wooden ‘Spitfire’ with a car engine…tut, whatever next?!)

Ever seen this website? 😉
http://www.supermarineaircraft.com/index.htm
mmitch

& of course it would never happen to a Mossie……. Doh!!!!!:p

As for John Dundas’ parking skills, well…..

Maybe it just undulates a lot.

Or maybe two slopes?