G-FURY

My favourite Flypast article of all time was the one covering the restoration of his MK XIV Spitifre G-FIRE. Must have read it 10 times. And I absolutely loved it when he talked about people moaning because it wasn’t being painted in it’s original colour scheme “When they have bought and restored their own Spitfire they can paint it whatever colour they like!” .
From memory (with the mention of the approach light” he was on approach with the engine still running and would have made it but the engine seized……almost made it.

I grew up in Stanmore and have plenty of happy memories of seeing & hearing both G-FURY & G-FIRE in the air from our garden – not many places in the UK in the mid – late 1970s where it was common to hear a Griffon Spitfire & Sea Fury overhead

Legend has it that Spencer was rolling around on the ground trying to put himself out and narrowly missed getting run over by the fire truck that was speeding along the furrow that the aircraft had carved into the crops (the firemen being fixated on the aircraft thinking that Spencer was still trapped inside and not seeing him in the foreground). When they got him to hospital the doctors cut his overalls off so that they could begin treatment and were about to bag them up for disposal. He got extremely animated at this point, with the nursing team trying to restrain and placate him by saying not to worry, they were the least of his worries and that he could get a new pair in due course. Getting more and more aggravated, he finally blurted out, “The display fee cash is in my top pocket!”…

I’m trawling through Geoff Goodall’s Warbird Directory and happened across G-FURY’s entry. Is an update needed?
Ted Sinclair, Milton Keynes: wreck 85

After all the useful parts had been removed from both the G-FURY and the Haydon-Bailie wrecks on Spencer’s property at Shenley, by the likes of Lloyd Hamilton etc, the wreckage was up for grabs to anybody who wanted it.

Not my thing but I pointed Ted Sinclair at the wreckage, and as an avid collector of anything Aviation he collected the parts in his truck. Having insufficient space in his over crowded garden he deposited them locally adjacent to a public access bridleway/footpath. Bad move. The wreckage disappeared presumably by somebody exploiting the value of scrap aluminium.

Mark

What a wonderful thread, some fantastic and very atmospheric photos and thanks the Mk.XII for that little laugh!

I’m trawling through Geoff Goodall’s Warbird Directory and happened across G-FURY’s entry. Is an update needed?
Ted Sinclair, Milton Keynes: wreck 85
(planned composite rest. project 85)

Thanks Mark, I needed a laugh this morning and that speech bubble is worthy of the wonderful John Blake or “Roger Bacon”!

A proper biography of Spencer would be a wonderful read I’m sure. I’m not sure I’ve ever heard the full story about the Jungmanns.

On a lighter note.

I visited Spence in hospital shortly after the prang. His leg was in traction and the flash burns were fading. His room was festooned with get well cards from the aviation community and local school children.

One home made card from his employees at Elstree caught my eye. It had a photograph pasted on the front with one of his guys poking at the wreckage with a stick. A ‘speech bubble’ had been added that read…

“His wallet must be in here somewhere”.

Mark

AirportsEd

That is indeed one of the approach lights for runway 21 (now 20) at Waddington. Although I never saw the wreckage, a family friend did, alas he is no longer around and I don’t know if any of his photo collection survived as I believe he did takeit from the A15 IIRC and it was close!! IIRC.

Edit : Looking at it again the long grass behind is the track down the side of the farmers fields the landing lights go through.

Tim S

Is that one of Waddington’s approach lights I can see on the right hand side of the crash photo?
If so I presume he must have been very close to reaching the runway but came down just to the east of the A15…?
Ed

Spencer suffered burns, luckily wearing a bone dome so he could push through the canopy that was melting.

Ouch!!! did not realise it burnt as well!! certainly a very striking scheme, the Meiers fury will perhaps fill that gap a little:))))

Thanks to everyone who has brought out all these photos to document the short but wonderful career of G-FURY. This is much appreciated.

T J

Scans from slides from an unknown source. The beginning and the end !

G-FURY 1980 by AJCDuxman, on Flickr

G-FURY 8/81 by AJCDuxman, on Flickr

Duxman

Flikr – https://www.flickr.com/photos/64209520@N05/

This is still by far THE BEST ever looking Sea Fury!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

More superb photos, thanks to all. This one of course shows the wingtip smoke generators used to such good effect at IAT (a grey weekend I seem to remember), the extended cheat lines and the red and yellow arrestor hook. Modellers in particular will also note the airshow zaps….’heathens!’ 🙂

The last time I saw her, this one was taken just before flying up to Humberside and later to crash just short of Waddington’s runway on the way back home due to oil pressure problems.

Great photos guys!

Rob

G-FURY.First engine runs at Elstree.

Mark

The two Southend Seafurys. Circa 1970.

Mark

Thanks Propstrike,
The wheels are the Sander’s conversion from an F102 I think ,not sure long time ago.