Spitfire Crashes

Is it time to call it a day and ground them while those that are left are still in one piece and a joy to see.

No Alex. Because a flightless Spitfire is simply a corpse, and a long way from being a joy to see. Just a sad (if pretty) lump of metal corroding slowly away.

Moggy

Yes Alec, but only because we were extremely rude to their Me109s/Me110s/Junkers88s/Heinkel111s/and Dornier 17s.

There are very few that haven’t been through a rebuild, the one that flipped on its back had just had both wings done I believe. Just because it isn’t called a replica is a bit of a grey area as a Spit can be rebuilt and often the only thing used in it can be the data plate, and even that can be replaced, I think ( could be wrong ) the CAA use the plate as a minimum for a rebuild. The wheels up one has already flown I believe, it went down to Arco for further repairs, ( Could be wrong again ) The Rolls Royce 19 was one of the few that hadn’t had a total overhaul and rebuild, but even that has gone through one since, though a lot of it is still original.

Hello Tony & John,
As far as I am aware only one of the three was a replica.
The other two were vintage aircraft (as I understand ) that have so far survived WW2 and years being rebuilt and made airworthy again.
Also I am unaware that large numbers of new built Spitfires are available, has Germany placed an order yet? they wanted them badly in WW2 🙂
Alex

As more and more Spitfires are produced, so the incidence of crashes will rise. Is this sufficient reason for grounding them all ? What nonsense !

Alex,

Spitfires are not what you think, 99% of them are not the historical aircraft you think, but more or less new builds with a few bits tacked on.
When you see what they start with, it means nothing in a Spit cannot be reproduced these days, so no to your question.