By: Rocketeer - 4th January 2011 at 22:26
Yes, I also saw it when he moved to Southam North of Banbury in the early 1980’s
In fact, just at the time he was selling it, I think for the grand price of £75k, all I could manage at 16 was a spade grip for £30 !Those were the days!
Jules
They certainly were Jules! I remember when you bought it and shared ‘custody’ of it and your BoB T&N book with me, putting over on your Red trials bike to swap them over every few weeks! Great days! That was the year I bought my first spade grip (a late Spit grip) for a whopping £4.50!! (which included P&P).
I still have the clipped wing tip from TB!
By: chumpy - 4th January 2011 at 21:14
…..A vintage newspaper clipping from 1969
By: --o-o-O-o-o-- - 4th January 2011 at 19:58
There are some pictures of the Spitfire in the museum and airworthy after here: –
http://forum.keypublishing.co.uk/showthread.php?t=16488&page=4&highlight=1980%27s+Southend
…and it features in this advertising poster which is on my landing wall (much to the missus’ disgust!!)
http://forum.keypublishing.co.uk/attachment.php?attachmentid=104374&d=1132394954
By: D1566 - 4th January 2011 at 19:36
Will ask.
By: --o-o-O-o-o-- - 4th January 2011 at 19:10
Does your friend have any more pictures? I used to live about 40 yards from there.
By: Mark V - 4th January 2011 at 18:31
23 minutes – brilliant – thanks!! Much appreciate the info.
He normally does it much quicker than that !!
By: WJ244 - 4th January 2011 at 18:19
That photo brings back some memories.
Bill’s house was on the corner of Oaken Grange Drive and Hampton Gardens and he had to put up with myself and hordes of the other local spotters peering over the wall. The Spitfire later moved to the Southend Museum where Bill contiinued to work on it. I was there when it was unloaded and spoke to Bill many times as I worked full time there during school holidays. As a teenager I found it very hard to believe that the battered pieces Bill assured me could be repaired / rebuilt including a pair of very moth eaten wings would ever fly again.
A Spitfire – even a battered part restored one -was a real coup for a museum then and the museum ensured that they got every ounce of publicity out of it to try to up the gate numbers.
By: thedawnpatrol - 4th January 2011 at 10:34
Yes, I also saw it when he moved to Southam North of Banbury in the early 1980’s
In fact, just at the time he was selling it, I think for the grand price of £75k, all I could manage at 16 was a spade grip for £30 !
Those were the days!
Jules
By: D1566 - 4th January 2011 at 09:38
23 minutes – brilliant – thanks!! Much appreciate the info.
By: Mark12 - 4th January 2011 at 09:29
Mk XVI TB863. Bill Francis. Southend, Essex. Arrived 3 December 1968. Now flying at Temora Australia.
Mark
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January 4, 2011 at 9:06 am