Spitfire XVI SL574

I have allways wondered, as and when the BBMF a/c run out of hours will they be swapped for ones in collections, after all AB910 is a very significent a/c and much as she is my personal favourite, she cant fly forever.

Spitfires, even with BBMF, do not have airframe stress lives, only overhaul intervals, so they cannot ‘run out of hours’. They limit the flying hours each year to control their maintenance cycles, so long as 100LL (or something that does the same job) continues to be available, BBMF Spitfires and privately owned warbirds will continue to fly

re

Anyone correct me if i’m wrong but that was the fate of plenty of new a/c

I think the V and IX are the best looking of all spits.

The Mk24 in the RAFM has only had 2 flights and must be the lowest houred spit in the world.

Really? Flight tested by the factory and then delivered into storage but never ever taken out of storage??? Were there many Mk2x series which were built and mothballed, never used and just scrapped???? If this is the case what a tragic waste that nobody thought to keep them 20 extra years……

re

I think the V and IX are the best looking of all spits.

This a/c is semi restored, it was done up by RAF volunteers.

I would guess Area 51 at Duxford is where in one way or another it will end up.

How many static V’s are there here in the uk? I can only think of that lovely one in the RAFM which personally would be great too see fly again. I have allways wondered, as and when the BBMF a/c run out of hours will they be swapped for ones in collections, after all AB910 is a very significent a/c and much as she is my personal favourite, she cant fly forever. The Mk24 in the RAFM has only had 2 flights and must be the lowest houred spit in the world.

Something very strange here. 🙂

Mark

and

“He also mentioned that SL574 had been the BBMF aircraft that force landed on a cricket pitch in London many years ago.”

So its all BAILS then?

Thanks guys, that was my thinking too. Surely a V is more ‘desirable’ than an XVI – unless somebody wanted it because of the BBMF links.

Thanks for the suggestions.

Something very strange here. 🙂

Mark

I would ask why anyone would want to get rid of a XVI for a V!

IIRC the deal was for a MKV Spit which had Eagle Sqn history for SL574, though how well ‘restored’ the MKV would be is anyone’s guess, a bit of a bum deal IMHO, considering that the MKV (especially one with combat history) is the more desirable machine to the major collectors compared to a low-back XVI.

Tom

I would ask why anyone would want to get rid of a XVI for a V!

I guess it depends on how much it costs you to get hold of a Spitfire V in static condition as to whether the deal is worth doing!

And for that matter, why not just scout around for one that’s currently airworthy and available? There’s one, at least….

Why would anyone offer to exchange a ‘fully restored’, albeit static Mk V for a static (unrestored) Mk XVI? 😮