Airworthy Spitfires

The numbers are dull unless you let your mind wander to the characters who have been part of the Spitfire story in the last few decades.The Hanna’s -Doug Arnold – Spencer Flack -Cliff Robertson – Neil Williams and countless others who have been part of the story or who have paid the ultimate price bringing the image to the public.

Great work.
Work on NH799 will be getting into full swing, now that a certain twin-engined distraction is test-flying.

Others may have differing definitions. 🙂

As far as I’m concerned, when it comes to Spitfires your definition is the definition!:)

Well, whatever the definition, it’s nice to see another low-back Spitfire XVI flying again. Too few in my opinion.

So, looking at it another way, assuming for this discussion, 8 or 9 -off the top of my head – airworthy for the film itself, that means there have been a total of about 85-90 airworthy Spitfires in those 40 years – so there must be about 35-40 that were airworthy that aren’t any more.

Be interesting to know the reasons for this attrition.

Participants in the BoB film are included in the 78.

So 28 Spitfires and Seafires fall in to the categories, ‘airworthy resting’, ‘lost in crashes’, ‘long term restoration for a variety of reasons’, ‘retired to museums’ etc.

Mark

So, looking at it another way, assuming for this discussion, 8 or 9 -off the top of my head – airworthy for the film itself, that means there have been a total of about 85-90 airworthy Spitfires in those 40 years – so there must be about 35-40 that were airworthy that aren’t any more.

Be interesting to know the reasons for this attrition.

Have AR501 and G-AIDN been included as flyers?

No. Not by my definition.

Both are in the ‘under major refurbishment’ category

Mark

There seems to be a great gravitational pull to the figure ’50’. I remember the FlyPast mag listing perhaps 15 years ago, and 50 was the number back then as well.

Since then, there have been numerous ‘debutantes’, though sadly quite a few losses . Have AR501 and G-AIDN been included as flyers?

Great news Mark! Though it somewhat puts it in perspective that that wouldn’t even be one flyer for every squadron in the UK in 1944!

Trawl through old FlyPast’s I am afraid and a copy of W&R had a picture of her .

Ive had a go through my old Flypasts and cannot find one. I dont have an old wrecks and relics copy.

Trawl through old FlyPast’s I am afraid and a copy of W&R had a picture of her .

Ollie- she was rebuilt using a former Russian centre section and the static left overs from various Hurricane projects at that time.

Is there any photos of her around?

how many hurricanes are airworthy?

LF363 – BBMF, RAF Coningsby, UK.
PZ865 – BBMF, RAF Coningsby, UK.
G-BKTH – Sea Hurricane – Shuttleworth Collection, Old Warden, UK.
G-HURR – Spitfire Ltd, Duxford UK.
KZ321 – Michael Potter, Canada.
G-HURI – HAC, Duxford UK.
RCAF 5667 – Fighter Factory, Virginia Beach, Virginia, USA.
AE977 – Tom Friedkin, Chino Ca, USA.
P3351 – Alpine Fighter Collection, Wanaka, NZ.
Former Mk XII G-ORGI, Ed Russell, Niagra, Canada.
C-GGAJ – Michael Potter, Canada (grounded pending restoration)
G-HUPW, R4118 – Mk 1 – Peter Vacher, Didcot ,UK.
G-KAMM – Flying Heritage Collection, Seattle, USA.
NX96RW – Lone Star Flight Museum, Texas , USA.

To answer your second question “How many more will be re-built” is a bit more difficult. Lots hopefully.

Ollie- she was rebuilt using a former Russian centre section and the static left overs from various Hurricane projects at that time.

Be very surprised if P3717 would be restored as a two seater – she was statically rebuilt by Steve Milnthorpe, and she’s a genuine battle of britain veteran, downing a dornier

Thank you for that. Interesting you mention she was staticaly rebuilt.

It will indeed – the aforementioned article mentioned that the aircraft was already being worked on.

I just wish I could find the bloody mag! :rolleyes:

PL983 does not seem to appear in these lists, though it is referred to in our ‘Spitfire Survey’ thread of yesterday.

It is the ex Old Warden / Martin Sergeant aeroplane which was ‘destroyed’ in France six years ago, but seemingly will rise again.

Here’s Seafire LF111c PP972 back in 1999 at Earls Colne. Lot still to do at that time but hopefully getting close to completion.

You could add LZ842 to your list, well on its way to airworthy restoration.. 🙂

I personally would take RX168 off the list. The accumulated collection of parts previously associated with this ‘project’ are now destined principally for inclusion in Mk I’s P9374 and N3200.

Mark

TD314 – being rebuilt as a MkV? That doesn’t make much sense to me, but then I suppose the owner can do as they want with it…

…indeed, firewall-back there’s not much difference between a MKV and an early IX, though I know that this IX wasn’t originally an ‘early’ one 😉 As you say Daz, it’s the owner’s choice at the end of the day.

Tom