Lambeth

Spitfire R6915 Please don’t Repaint!

I hope that people are not actually suggesting that the aircraft will be refurbished by the IWM before going back on display, or that that is the planned intention of the IWM.
To suggest that the curatoral staff do not know the significance of the airframe is doing them a great dis-service.

I admire your certainty Robert.
This is one occasion that I desperately hope you are quite correct, and my gut feeling is very very wrong.

Unfortunately, given the money being spent, and the high profile nature of the refurb, I feel the pressure to spruce up this airframe for the grand opening of the new museum, will far outpace the curatorial niceties. Add to this the argument that it is in later wartime colours, and it is at real risk!

Only by making a noise now, and I emplore anybody who has the ear of the right people to try, can we try to get those responsible reminded of their obligation to preserve our heritage, and not pander to fashionable headlines.

I re iterate that this is one of two airframes in the world that retain their ‘Original’ wartime service paint scheme, and give us an opportunity to see a Spitfire as it really looked in WW2, and not somebody’s later enterpretation. This aircraft is the real deal, warts and all, and in my view, priceless and of World Heritage importance.
A repaint would be a tradgedy.
Guy

I couldn’t agree more Rlangham

Be interesting to see which exhibits actually go back to Lambeth – looking at the design it would probably be best if most of them don’t, with vehicles surrounded at the sides by concrete and the front overhanging the atrium

http://www.iwm.org.uk/visits/iwm-london/transforming-iwm-london

I love Lambeth as it is and it’s very fit for purpose, the new design looks cold and awful

I hope that people are not actually suggesting that the aircraft will be refurbished by the IWM before going back on display, or that that is the planned intention of the IWM.
To suggest that the curatoral staff do not know the significance of the airframe is doing them a great dis-service.

A few years ago, I was lucky enough to be involved in a 609 Sqn book signing event at Duxford; I recall a conversation about the “Agazarian Spitfire” at Lambeth. Noel Agazarian apparently scored 2 kills in R6915 in 1940, and collected quite a bit of battle damage, which must still be visible as repairs? The aircraft is very important to 609, and it would be criminal in my opinion to lose any more of the originality of this amazing survivor!

I’m quite happy with that suggestion 😉

I don’t care where it ends up, I am just concernd that it does not get ‘refurbished’ with Nitromoors in order to satisfy a perception that the new Lambeth upgrade needs to have equivalently shiny new exhibits.

We would lose something of true national significance and for what?
It would become, just another Spitfire like many others!
Guy

or, put the real spit at Duxford in the Bob collection, and put a replica high up in the roof where you barely notice the difference?

I’m quite happy with that suggestion 😉

re;

or, put the real spit at Duxford in the Bob collection, and put a replica high up in the roof where you barely notice the difference?

OK then saying that statement how about they get a fibreglass spit and hang that from the faters all shiny etc and have this combat veteran in original paint on the ground as a comparison?

re;

problem is, the public see it as a shabby looking aeroplane, they do not see it for what it is. I would prefer the IWM do what the FAAM did with the Martlet, see whats under the paint, to reveal what must be the only BOB Spitfire in its original colours?

+1 to the Spifire comments! That aircraft has such an aura it would be criminal to do anything but carefully dust it.

One would hope the IWM have an apprecation of the significance and provenance of the exhibit.

The Heinkel He 162 Volksjäger arrived this lunchtime…

Be interesting to have a poke around that Spitfire!

For those who don’t know, IWM Lambeth is also the remaining parts of the origiinal ‘Bedlam’ Asylum.

It’s not the original Bedlam site http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bethlem_Royal_Hospital

IWM gastly He162 colors….

If they do repaint their aircraft I hope they don’t use similiar colors like they used on the Salamander!!!

Spitfire

[QUOTE=DaveF68;1942985]Be interesting to have a poke around that Spitfire!

QUOTE]

With its Battle history and “Original wartime” paint finish, I believe this to be one of the most important spitfires in existance.

It’s wartime ‘service patina’ is an extraordinary survivor, and makes it a unique exhibit.

I pray that any restoration work will be considered and sympathetic.

The thought of it being paint stripped and painted in brand new brown and green fills me with horror.

Who do I/we write too? Do the IWM even know what they have?
Guy

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Guy

Be interesting to have a poke around that Spitfire!

The hanging attachments are a bit of an eyesore! Hopefully when it retuns to Lamberth it will not be suspended. I wonder if the damage caused by these fitments can be undertaken without any repainting.

Thanks for the updates and pics WarbirdsRUs.

Be interesting to have a poke around that Spitfire!

For those who don’t know, IWM Lambeth is also the remaining parts of the origiinal ‘Bedlam’ Asylum.

Currently waiting departure

After going to the autum Airshow at Duxford and seeing the items that have arrived from Lambeth, I wondered what the state of play was regards to the aircraft was.

So I made a quick visit to the IWM Lambeth and found the Camel and BE2c standing wingless side by side, with the HE-162 sitting on some supports on the floor behind some barriers (making taking photos harder than you like), waiting for the trip to Duxford.

Leaving the 190, Mustang waiting there turn to return to the ground.

Hope you like the attached photos

Ed

That black and white Swordfish photo tells me it must have been moved a few times while at Lambeth. I remember it in a Naval setting in a `pit` with a raised section around it. You could walk around the edge and look down on it. It was dimly lit and quite atmospheric.