Hi fella’s,
Rest easy guys, this Spitfire Tail wheeled rear oleo strut is from a Miles Messenger or Gemini Aircraft. Miles used a Spitfire tailwheel in both, the rear struts of these aircraft. The struts were hyd/pneumatic shock absorbers specifically for these Aircraft. I’m involved (loosely) with the Hooton Park T.A.C. lodger unit aircraft re-builds and we have the remains of 3 Messengers and bits of a Gemini that were gathered yrs. ago and have sat in a container till around 2 years ago when a very enterprising chap Ian Maddock took on the job of re-constructing one for static display from the bits.

My involvement was with re-furbishing the mainwheels ( Auster type ) and tail wheel and rear strut, thats how I recognized your pics. Here’s the TAC Website with info about the Messenger re-build, (Ian is doing a great job ).

http://www.theaeroplanecollection.org/ and here’s some pics. of TAC’s Tailwheel (Messenger strut assy. ) Hope they load up as I havn’t posted in here for a year and it’s all changed.

I’ve learnt a lot about the Miles Company this past year and what an enterprising company they were, folded in 1947.

Hope this clears it up.

Bill T.