Spitfire LFXVIe RW388…

Good news for those of us in the south who have never bothered to travel to the wolds of Stoke lol! Nothing on their website yet, one for a summer visit.

With no disrespect to the Medway preservation group, who turn out top quality restorations, I’m saddened that Stoke on Trent council have repaid all of the hard work by Supermarine Engineering (much of it free of charge) by giving the job to someone 200 miles away……

Credit to the Potteries Museum and Stoke City Council for spending their money on this project.
How temping must it be to sell and simply replace with a fibreglass replica.

I must take the chance to visit Rochester on one of their open mornings.

I see in its absence, visitors to the museum at Stoke will just see a “sculpture” of an uncovered, bare ‘Spitfire’ airframe made by some apprentices. The real McCoy should be back there in 2019.

Great news, for some reason I thought that MAPS had finished Restorations must have crossed wires on that one. I’ve admired every project they’ve been involved with. Would make a great book.

Excellent news, they will make a beautiful job of it.

It seems that RW388 is now in the very capable hands of MAPS at Rochester:

https://rochesterairport.co.uk/latest/news/welcome-to-ryan.html

Seeing this has just reminded me of a fantastic 1/72 diorama that someone made of this aircraft and its current condition.

Not a useful comment, I know!

I think it is more bureaucracy from what I understand, indeed I think that the fund raising has stopped until the local council can agree on a plan,; as an aside the fundraising event is held at Keele college, which was set up (in part) by RJ Mitchells brother, who up until certain events at the Schneider trophy races was the most famous of the Mitchell clan!

hi,
from a google search, it’s present location was a gap between 2 building’s, and they boxed it in, but I must admit it is a shabby area and I mentioned a used condition this does look too used, perhaps a dispersal diorama, what with bit’s missing,but I surpose it’s down to money as is everything…
One thing I didn’t know about RJ, was after leaving school he went as a engineering apprentice with a local locomotive works in nearby Fenton…

regards,
jack…

It has been dragging on a bit! I remember it in its own glasshouse over the road. I think it’s been lost in translation as “The Potteries” is the colloquialism for Stoke on Trent and the museum contains all things relevant to the area of Staffordshire. As RJ was an inmate of Staffs, the Spit (albeit a Mk XVI) is right at home.

I totally agree with Mk12, it needs paint!!!!

At the very least it needs quick coat of external paint.

It has been at least 13 years since the paint was removed from the front end….and it is on public display!!

Mark

So they could sell it and fund a grp replica with little problem from locals? Or would that provoke an outburst from the residents?

I am aware of the connection between the spitfire and Stoke on Trent, indeed Supermarine’s address is Mitchell place, but my understanding is that it is completely out of place, within it’s current environment, “looked after” by a curator with very little interest, I would suggest it deserves better, but am also aware of the changes in and around the area, and must concede that for many residents, it has little importance.

Stuart, it is not just a pottery museum.It is major museum of the region with wide ranging contents for example http://www.staffordshirehoard.org.uk/event/see-it-in-stoke and you would be aware of the connection of the Spitfire to Stoke or did you omit that fact by design?

Can’t answer your question regarding the condition it will be restored to ,but Mark at Supermarine has been working on this A/C for over 10 years off and on, and is actively involved in the fund raising to finance the work to be done; I suppose the real question is what is the spitfire doing in a pottery museum?