5000 Miles in a Spitfire

Thanks for that Dave, makes good sense.

“What’s that white plastic looking thing hanging from the cockpit rail in the right hand picture Dave ?”

That was my air-conditioning mod. It’s a 90 degree elbow I picked up at Home Hardware, off the Discount Spitfire Parts rack.

The vent there blows air across the cockpit. But for flying in 90F+ heat, you want air blowing on your chest. Actually the proper angle would be about 75 degrees

It’s dangling because the air that day was cool enough that I didn’t want it on my chest. In general, whenever I wanted the flow to come at me, I just popped it on.

:angel:

Pee Toe Tube

What’s that white plastic looking thing hanging from the cockpit rail in the right hand picture Dave ?

well done mate would had some nice country to see

Brilliant trip Dave, I’m still not envious, no really! 😉

I had been wondering about the effect of the increased use on Spitfires in the UK; examples such as MJ627 may be racking up as much as three or four hours a day, judging by how often I notice them airborne on FR24 and the trips shown by clicking on them.

By the way, what’s Spokane like?

We put on about 35 hours. This is more than a regular season for us in Canada, but not excessive.

From what I’ve seen, regular use of these aircraft and engines, for flights where operating temperatures get established and maintained, is the best thing for them. Infrequent short flights is probably more harmful than pickling them.

This is now a 60-hour aeroplane (it was close to new when I departed), engine and airframe. So, no, it should last for a considerable time yet.

It was TCA who achieved the best results with Merlins, but their engine shop was the best, their R and D was good, the parts were still available, the work-force was mature, and the engines were in use nearly every day. In recent years that has not been reproduceable. But now, in the UK, since the CAA regulatory change, the Ride business has increased to the point where the same peak of cost-effectiveness may be achievable again.

That is brilliant.How do the hours done on this journey affect the maintenance on the aircraft and engine,is it due for a rebuild soon.

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Some of the West Coast Spitfires flying to Oshkosh over the Rockies must be running close to that.

Mark

But he didn’t have to cross the Rockies twice!

Dave,

I think Bill Greenwood must have the record there, operating his two seat Spitfire out of Aspen for many years at 8,000′.

I seem to remember on a trip with him to Oshkosh, we went up to 12-13,000′, him on oxygen…while I just went light headed.

Quite a thump when the two stage supercharger cuts in.

Mark

Could still be the longest Spitfire FIGHTER flight as PL972 was a photo recon aircraft…? Good luck and look forward to following your progress.

It’s not taking away anything from what you will be doing Dave! Actually, James Storey was flying a surplus, probably not that expensive aircraft (they could pretty easily get another one if he crashed it) while you’ll be at the controls of a pretty rare and, in a way, unique survivor. That’s something that will focus the mind…;)

I wonder if they’ll get the camouflaged
Prentice up from Florida to escort him?

Hah! I just knew there was going to be something like that. Thanks for the info.

But he didn’t have to cross the Rockies twice!

Seriously — an amazing flight. I’d never heard of it.

That is astonishing! I had no idea. I’ll never ever again boast about a successful aerial crossing of the Severn estuary.

Apologies for being a spoilsport but Bournemouth, UK to Buenos Aires, Argentina direct is 6,818 miles…one way and over water.

A 1947 Shell advertisement published in the magazine Aeronave, proudly showing Argentina’s sole Spitfire PR Mk. XI shortly after its direct flight over the Atlantic in the hands of Capitán Jaime Storey (in the cockpit).

Acquired by a civilian operator for aerial mapping purposes, the Spitfire PR Mk. XI PL972 was purchased from Air Ministry surplus in 1947. Argentinean ex-RAF PRU Spitfire pilot, Capitán Jaime (James) Storey brought the aircraft to the country, flying on 29 April 1947 from Hurn, England, via Gibraltar, Dakar, then over the Atlantic to Natal, Rio de Janeiro, Montevideo and then finally to Buenos Aires. With a 170-gallon slipper tank and two custom-built 20-gal tanks in the wing roots, the aircraft could carry over 400 gallons of fuel to an endurance of 10 hours, marginally more than 8,5 hours required for a direct Atlantic crossing. The flight was completed on May 5, 1947.

Storey’s endeavour counts as the longest recorded Spitfire flight ever. As his aircraft lacked long-range navigation instruments, the passage of the ocean was made in the company of Avro York of British South American Airways (BSAA). The Shell oil company provided fuel, lubricants and service enroute.

Upon arrival at Buenos Aires the Spitfire received the civil registration LV-NMZ.

Mark

Hope you’ll be able to keep a diary of the trip on here for us Dave! I’m not envious… much! 🙂

The best of luck, and a safe flight, Dave.

You’ll probably be the only person in the world who’ll never want to hear the roar of a Merlin again, after flying all those miles behind one!

Anon.