HAC Spitfire Vb to be repainted?

It would be nice to see the temp scheme in place for the Duxford show as this would be great PR for the project, but I guess that also takes away the debut of the scheme in Malta?

When Mum and I were going round the country collecting Malta veteran’s signatures for Gerald Coulson’s “Merlins Over Malta” print we had the opportunity to visit most of the major aviation themed museums in this country. The only one that had a decent amount of information was the Fleet Air Arm Museum (This can be found tucked behind the Swordfish!). When we started the project our main aim was to raise the money to fly the aircraft down to Malta. Our second aim was to try to educate people about what happened on the island.

We hope to have a copy of our “travelling display” permanently exhibited in the Malta Aviation Museums new Air Battle of Malta hangar.

Glenn

Oh well never mind. I was thinking the other day not one major museum has a display about the Malta conflict. I was at Duxford on Sunday and there is nothing near the two HAC aircraft that mentions this great event which i find very suprising seeing as it fits the Battle of Britain theme so well??? :confused:

Looks superb! Looking forward to this…..Will we see her in the UK at any airshows in this scheme?

It’s a temporary scheme so I would guess not many appearances here in the UK.

I think it’s going to look a bit like this 🙂

Dan

Looks superb! Looking forward to this…..Will we see her in the UK at any airshows in this scheme?

Looking forward to seeing her in the temporary scheme. Pity about the drop-tank, though – would have been nice to see.

Malta Spitfire – Bill Vale 24 Kills

It would have been nice to see a Spitfire in the coulors of Bill “Cherry” Vale, an ace (24 Kills) who flew over Malta in the very troubled times they had. He had a very destinguished carrier. But telling the grown ups what he thought about Bader and trying to have him grounded for irresponsible flying dose’nt do your carrier any good.
Bill was a top bloke who unfortunatly never got the recognition he deserved and died in a car accident some years ago now.
I know of Bill due to him knowing my dad.

The plumbing for the slipper tank is all present and works, but finding a restorable one could be entertaining. Building one from scratch would be way expensive!

Bruce

I think it’s going to look a bit like this 🙂

Dan

Thanks Glenn, now Mark 12 or I will have to shoot Chris 🙂

Why, wot ave i dun guv’nor?! :confused: :p :rolleyes:

Yes to the temporary blue U2 repaint! At the moment I do not know when Dad is going to do this. I can say it will be soon because in 5 weeks time today we hope to have the two aircraft positioned at the foot of Italy ready to fly their final leg into Grand Harbour.

The slipper tank idea was deemed unfeasible and there are enough airfields along the way to stop at.

We will be at Rougham this weekend so if you are there come along and pay us a visit. As I said in the CAF Air Sho’ 2005 raffle thread, we are still fundraising so come along and support us!

Glenn

I look forward t seeing it Glenn, thanks for the update! It’s a shame the slipper tank idea was abandoned. I think, although not particularly pleasing to the eye, it would have been quite interesting to see one fitted to a modern restoration.

I don’t think i’ll be able to make Rougham i’m afraid, but i have got my eye on that corgi set! 😀

Good Luck with it all.

Yes to the temporary blue U2 repaint! Glenn

Thanks Glenn, now Mark 12 or I will have to shoot Chris 🙂

Just wondering if anyone (perhaps Glenn Denney?) could confirm whether the HAC Spitfire ‘BM597’ is to be repainted for her trip to Malta next month. With their Hurricane now representing a Malta scheme and also the news of the release of the ‘Merlins over Malta’ Corgi collector set (see here: http://www.merlinsovermalta.com/shop/corgi/ ) it would seem like a possibility.
The corgi ‘blue’ Operation Calender scheme looks great indeed and it would be nice to see BM597 in a different guise even for one season.
Also, i heard there were possible plans to fit a slipper tank to her in order to give her the range needed for the proposed stops on route, if so how is this progressing?

Yes to the temporary blue U2 repaint! At the moment I do not know when Dad is going to do this. I can say it will be soon because in 5 weeks time today we hope to have the two aircraft positioned at the foot of Italy ready to fly their final leg into Grand Harbour.

The slipper tank idea was deemed unfeasible and there are enough airfields along the way to stop at.

We will be at Rougham this weekend so if you are there come along and pay us a visit. As I said in the CAF Air Sho’ 2005 raffle thread, we are still fundraising so come along and support us!

Glenn

That’s not what I was told 😉

If in the future she was to be repainted in representative colours of her time with the RAF, all they would have to do is change the JH to PK !!!! Oh and Squadron emblem as well of course, but why mend something that’s not broken ????

…and the Brown to Grey?

Mark

I cannot tell a lie. All over red with a silver stripe. 😉 RN201 is missing his mate. Mark

That’s not what I was told 😉

If in the future she was to be repainted in representative colours of her time with the RAF, all they would have to do is change the JH to PK !!!! Oh and Squadron emblem as well of course, but why mend something that’s not broken ????

yes…. do tell Mark!

I cannot tell a lie. All over red with a silver stripe. 😉

RN201 is missing his mate.

Mark

yes…. do tell Mark!

Speaking with Guy Black at Sandown a couple of weeks back, BM597 will retain its current scheme for next year and the foreseeable future, however…..

…….how do you keep someone in suspense ?

BM597 JH-C.

Speaking with Guy Black at Sandown a couple of weeks back, BM597 will retain its current scheme for next year and the foreseeable future, however…

Mark

I like that scheme. If they do i hope it will stay for more than just the malta show, it will be nice to see.

Jay

Yes, it looks very different. Nice sheme. 😎 But I do hope the HAC returns to it’s current sheme one day because that is the sheme the machine had during it’s service days. But that Blue paint should be nice to see for the 2006 season.

J.V.

The Merlins Over Malta homepage shows two Corgi models you can buy and the Spitfire is in a deep blue scheme from Operation Calandar. Looks very nice. Squadron code U-2. 😎