After starting construction in 2010, my tribute to K5054 has now passed the permit to fly inspection and we are waiting for the permit to commence test flying.
Disclaimer: Based on the Australian Supermarine Spitfire MK25, this is a 75% all metal scale replica with retractable gear, so most of you can now stop reading, and please don’t mention this to Caroline G. ?
However, the aircraft has been mostly scratch built and I hope I managed to avoid most of the ugliness of the replicas. The aircraft has been painted in Cerulean Blue, which, with the kind assistance from the great people running the Tangmere Museum, has been paint matched against the original prototype colour, as have the markings, some of which still need to be applied. With the airframe serial K5054, our Spitfire can carry the original markings on the rudder, however, the registration number on the fuselage is 19-6054, the closest I could get.
While there are obvious differences to the original like the three bladed prop (which you can’t see when the engine is running) and a lot of other things, I do hope that when flying past at 500 feet, the Spitfire will be a fitting tribute to JR, and the Fighter. And no, it won’t be at Legends, and if you don’t like it stop reading, go in your workshop and build your own…
Test flying should commence here in Taree, Australia, in October in the capable hands of the new owner, Captain Neil Cooper of Virgin Blue.
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Blue skies and happy landings!
Chris
By: Black Knight - 19th November 2017 at 20:50
Well done all.
I loved what Clive did, it was a fantastic bit of woodworking & I loved the noise it made. Such a shame it was so unlucky 🙁
By: SimonR - 19th November 2017 at 20:04
That’s a really beautiful aircraft. Many congratulations – it looks even better in the air, I love that low-level photo.
Don’t change a thing!
By: DazDaMan - 19th November 2017 at 12:03
Fantastic result.
By: Zodiacchris - 19th November 2017 at 10:56
More pictures
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Youtube https://youtu.be/DyDym2m-o20
By: DazDaMan - 19th November 2017 at 10:54
Congrats, she looks fantastic!
I’ll check the video out in a bit.
By: Zodiacchris - 19th November 2017 at 10:49
Adter receiving the required oermit to fly, the last ten days have been very busy indeed. The K5054 tribute Spitfire has flown, with a total of 27 hours of air under the wings so far. The test flights showed a few minor isdues to be present, with CoG corrections and ballasting of the nose required, plus a few other things. We are currently working on the replica radiator and oil cooler, with early prototypes already dived to VNE. A short video of the aircraft in flight is on youtube under Spitfire K5054 Tribute Flies, and a few pictures are attached below. We are currently waiting for a few parts to arrive, before continuing with the flying in February next year. Seven years of building, per aspera ad astra!
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By: Brenden S - 26th September 2017 at 10:24
No worries Chris.
By: Zodiacchris - 24th September 2017 at 07:37
Thanks for the offer Brenden!
The aircraft will undergo the test flying in Taree, NSW, and I have two photographers lined up so far, so should have that side of things covered!
Cheers,
Chris
By: Brenden S - 24th September 2017 at 06:44
Chris, if you live in WA, Vic, QLD or NSW I can organise a photographer for air to air if you want.
By: Ghostrider 01 - 22nd September 2017 at 15:14
It is a very good looking ‘Baby Spit’ well done.
By: ozplane - 21st September 2017 at 12:47
No, it merged with Pilot some years ago. I guess there wasn’t really room for 3 GA magazines in the UK market.
By: Arabella-Cox - 21st September 2017 at 10:36
but the fact is the General Aviation Forum here is a moribund remnant from the days of Today’s Pilot.
Is Today’s Pilot no longer published……???
By: L9172 - 20th September 2017 at 21:24
Being closer to 80 years of age than to 70, I shall never get to see this wonderful aircraft, but by God I think the chaps who have built it deserve every praise it is possible to give them.
Well done and may your skies be ever calm, your runways ever long and into the wind, and your fuel never short.
Thank you for giving the world this delight.
By: Archer - 20th September 2017 at 14:32
Can someone change the title of this thread to ‘Flying original Mk.V Spitfire Pitot tube’? 😀
Joking aside, a lovely little aeroplane, looking forward to the photos of it in the air!
By: wes - 20th September 2017 at 13:09
But I don’t think this topic should belong in the Historic forum.
In the style of the OP, as it was not built today, then it must have been built before today, so therefore sometime in (recent) history!
AND it has an original MK5 pitot tube…so qualifies in more ways than one :eagerness:
By: CeBro - 20th September 2017 at 13:02
But don’t you dare to replace any bits. For the sake of it’s provenance and authenticity:cool:
Cheers
Cees
By: Zodiacchris - 20th September 2017 at 11:55
Thank you guys!
Moggy, the aircraft is fully aerobatic, but the recreational license does not allow unusal attitudes. However, it can be re-registered as GA experimental (a bit of a faff paperwork wise), and then be wrung out.
I’ll post some pictures once she is in the air, and has her radiators…
Cheers,
Chris
By: Moggy C - 20th September 2017 at 10:49
Cees
The case can be argued both ways, but the fact is the General Aviation Forum here is a moribund remnant from the days of Today’s Pilot.
We are happy for this non-Historic replica of an historic aircraft to be covered here.
Moggy
Moderator
By: stuart gowans - 20th September 2017 at 07:12
Indeed a lovely aeroplane, hope you enjoy flying it.
By: CeBro - 20th September 2017 at 07:06
@Chris,
:D:eagerness:
Cheers
Cees
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September 18, 2017 at 9:34 am