Anyone Tempted?

The painnnn…

An old bloke around here had a job in the scrapping of about 500 planes out here after the war.About 170 odd were Spits..Anyway his job was to sit in the cockpit with a tiny hammer and smash the instruments.First lot he did he smashed the glasses but was warned to do a better job so the rest the hammer went right through…Ouch…:eek:
The rarity of the trim guage is due to that it being only used in a Spit. 30034/sheet 9 IIRC.Whereas the rest are generic issue.
It is a shame that ridgy didge parts are becoming so expensive.It is a huge stress and I wonder what the future holds.Do Spits go the way of rarer types and just become museum pieces or do we go the Mustang route where a whole new aircraft can be scourced from new build parts.Then flooding the market with repro parts.It,s a knifes edge decision.:(

Spit U/C and other bits

Spitfire U/C indicators, why are they so rare, its strange really when you consider that 20,000 plus were made. When i started collecting about 15 years ago they sold for about £85 saying that there still werent allot around. I manage to buy 1 or 2 a year even now but obviously i have to pay through the nose for them. There must be quite a few still out there??? Trim gauges are even rarer it seems, I have never bought an original although i have been promised one from a Spit rebuild that i have been waiting patiently for the last 3 years+. Why i wonder are the trim gauges even harder to find they must have been made in the same numbers. I used to buy parts from an aircraft breaker, he told me that 40 years ago they would have paid me to remove all the spit instruments and controls as they were a pain to dispose of prior to scrapping!!!!!!!! Spitfire’s. They also used to smash 0 timed Merlins with sledge hammers, if only i had a time machine.:dev2:

Hi Andy.

The most important book shop in Barcelona is L´Aeroteca, I know that they sell a lot of books regarding all kind of aviation…I don´t really know if they are expensive or not, because all bokks I have are coming from UK and US.
I reccomend you that for buy good books to take a look to US shops on ebay.
example:
I recently bought a good ( Spitfire V the manual ) in US. Very cheap !!!:eek:

It cost in UK something like GBP 40.- parcel included (new)
Mine´s costs to me 26 US $- parcel included (new)

If you are looking for good books in Spain, probably you are going to pay high prices due importation taxes, etc….

Hope it helps.

carleso123

Hola carleso123.

Apart from the book shop in Gracia, are there any other place in BCN that sells aviation books (at reasonable prices!)?

Gracies

L’Andy

ooh I bet you say that to all the boys! :p

TT

Ben,

You can come and rummage through my parts any time you like. Errr, better rephrase that!!:eek:

Bruce

Herbert – I agree!

2 million people (or whatever) looking at ebay means there is no such thing as finding a bargin!

Plus looking at a screen isnt the same as rummaging through a pile of parts looking for THAT elusive item! 🙁

ATB

TT

You´re too right. 🙁
It´s also that internet and eBay makes the collector´s life easier but also one sided.
You don´t have to visit the aerojumbles anymore because the good pieces will be sold by eBay. That´s boring.
Herbert

An interesting fact is, that early Corke Spit panels obtained original U/C indicators. And the panels went complete for GBP 400,- 😮

Ah, these old times :rolleyes:

Corke also had original Hurricane U/C indicators before he started to use the repros. What a shame, I only need ONE.
I always wonder about the owners of airworthy Spits and Hurris.
They need airworthy spare parts so maybe they are sitting on boxes of original nose up downs and similar. 😉
Herbert

The sourcing of airworthy spares is undoubtedly driving up the price, the average collector cant compete with multi millionaire Spitfire owner/operators, although I dont think even the latter will jump at the sort of prices we are seeing things go for, and after many years in the business so to speak nothing is so rare, and yes there are stocks of stuff still held in quantity.

I dont consider the seller of the Undercarriage indicator a pirate either, if i had one I would be looking for a chump with lots of money to buy it off me too, I just think its a shame that what was once a fairly low cost hobby has been spoiled by people prepared to throw extravagant amounts of money at something because of Spitfiremania, even everything on ebay these days is labelled instantly as Spitfire whether it is or not………………

No, they are all desperate to find them at sensible prices as well!

Bruce

An interesting fact is, that early Corke Spit panels obtained original U/C indicators. And the panels went complete for GBP 400,- 😮

Ah, these old times :rolleyes:

Corke also had original Hurricane U/C indicators before he started to use the repros. What a shame, I only need ONE.
I always wonder about the owners of airworthy Spits and Hurris.
They need airworthy spare parts so maybe they are sitting on boxes of original nose up downs and similar. 😉
Herbert

Oxy reg interesting – think I know where there are a few of them, they may need some restoration though….

At the ‘drome there is on display (not ours) one of those rep Hurricane or Spit panels that Corke Aero used to knock out, forget which, c/w instruments – been there for at least 15 years so i imagine the instruments are genuine….!

TT

I seem to remember the U/C indicator from oz made £800-; I think they are all overpriced ,ofcourse that may because I need one, but the high prices, mean that there will be more reproductons made,indeed I know of somebody who intends to make high quality reproductions for flying, once they start to appear (at significantly lower prices) the market will steady, and probably drop, (shame!)

Dear Friends.

Does somebody really believe that it cost me only GBP 99.- ?????

Oh look at this……….

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=220060349758

Looks like he bought it of our very own Herbert for a mere £99 😮

.

I have one of those too in similar condition. If someone is interested PM me (but not for 99 pounds)

Cheers

Cees

Hi Bruce.

Thank you for your comment.

Yes, I know that probably the price is too high, but 4 months ago, one undercarriage indicator like this one, ( and I don´t know in what condition it was ) on “Spitfirespares” it was sold for GBP 700.-
Which could be the price today ?

Anyway, I´m looking for an offer for all the complete collection I have.
I´m going to post all items very soon.

Regards.

carleso123.

I dont think anybody considers you a pirate.

However the difference between what you ask for these items, and what you might get in an open market might be more than you think.

That said, I wish I had bought some of these years ago!

Bruce

Spitfire Panel Project

Dear forum friends.

After to read all the comments, it clearly seems that you are speaking about a pirate !
I can explain:
The true reality is that I really don´t want to sell my nice Spitfire Panel and cockpit items, because I take a lot of years for to collect all them. Life can change in a few weeks, specially when you need money for something more important that I dislake to explain here now.
I was in a very close point to finish the complete project and its true…the last great item was the Oxy regulator coming from a friend, but now I must abandone this idea for better times.

Thanks for your help comment Herbert. (and excuse-me for use your pictures ).

carleso123.

Oh look at this……….

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=220060349758

Looks like he bought it of our very own Herbert for a mere £99 😮

.

Hello detectives 🙂

I may explain:
During the auction of the oxygen regulator I found out, that he had a minty Hurricane fuel gauge using it for his Spit panel. I was lucky that he was so kind to agree a swap with some of my spare items.

You might know, a correct Hurricane fuel gauge might be rarer than the Spit ones.

Regards,
Herbert

Times that by three for Aussie dollars….

Aaaawwwww stuff it…I like a challenge so I think I,ll make my own…:D