"Just Jane" – RAF East Kirby – Oct 17th, 2007

Spitfire MJ627 is currently residing in the BBMF hanger at Coningsby where The Major is working on it from time to time.

Word on the street is that it is not going back to East Kirkby after the winter service and a new base is being sought for it.

Yes, there was another thread elsewhere on the forum where there were various rumours mentioned of why it had left East Kirkby in the first place.

Spitfire MJ627

Thank you for the message Martin hope to see my favoritre spitfire next year.

James

Spitfire MJ627 is currently residing in the BBMF hanger at Coningsby where The Major is working on it from time to time.

Word on the street is that it is not going back to East Kirkby after the winter service and a new base is being sought for it.

I have now updated the links on the original post for the panoramic images.

These have now been moved off of the Demon Internet server as this was proving too slow and unreliable.

All my content is currently being moved to a new server so for those people who have linked to my panoramas (as anyone is very welcome to do) from their own web sites then you will have to update your links.

I’ve emailed everyone that asked to link anyway so hopefully most people will be aware.

My new web site will be at http://elevation360.com and there is a temporary page there at the moment until the new site goes live, hopefully around the end of February 2008. Although this is a temporary page, this will always be the main page so if you bookmark it now then you will always be directed to the main (home) page of the site and will always be viewing the most up to date version of the site.

The panoramas themselves are now being presented in a different way using a combination of Java & Flash. You no longer need to have any special software or plugins installed in your browser to view the panoramas.

While the old method used QuickTime, and this is still the method that produces the highest quality, the file sizes were too big and it was generally impractical to present a full-screen view with file sizes being over 6MB.

The new method allows full-screen viewing with a file size of around 0.5MB so while there is a compromise between file size and quality, I’m going to run with this method for the moment.

While Java & Flash are generally present in every browser, you should ensure that your Java & Flash are up to date, as older versions can cause “stuttering” and “flashing” in the full-screen views.

Java & Flash updates are FREE so you should always update anyway!

I have also disabled the “auto-rotate” function of the panoramas and there are now on-screen controls for “play”, “direction” and “full-screen”. You can, of course, still click and drag the panorama yourself in all directions.

Cheers

Billy

Did you need special access to take these shots?

No, these shots were all taken from behind the “rope” barrier that was all around the aircraft.

I have however edited out the front rope and it’s shadow on the ground (as well as my shadow and the tripod shadow) from the photographs!

Billy

Nice shots!

The clouds in the second shot really add an extra dimension owing to the extreme wide angle.

Did you need special access to take these shots?

Val

Thank you for the message Martin hope to see my favoritre spitfire next year.

James

In connection with this regretable incident I have been asked to post the following statement from the management of the museum:

The Spitfire is run as a separate enterprise to the Museum and is owned by Maurice Bayliss. The Spitfire does fly and it is very strictly controlled as to who can be around it. There are no excuses for the Majors behaviour but I hope that they don’t view it to be the opinion/manner of the Lincs Aviation Heritage Centre as he has nothing to do with us.

Kind Regards,
Andrew Panton
Lincs Aviation Heritage Centre

I’ve spent a lot of time at East Kirkby over the summer months (working on a couple of photographic projects) and I can vouch for the conduct of all of the museum’s staff, they’re always friendly and courteous – its just a shame this character has marred your visit.

Nice shots Billy like the Spitfire shot as MJ627 is my favorite Spitfire and I wished I owned it and not by The Major (Victor 😀 ) Yeah your right Billy .Cause he has 1000 hrs on a spitfire dont mean has to speak to you and your son like that 😮

James

IMHO to pay £30 to have a tour of a living breathing Spitfre by such a well respected Spitfire pilot would be a priviledge, had I known prior to going there I would have booked one without hesitation.

I don’t remember anyone asking for a “tour” or anyone offering to do a “tour”!

I remember a civil question being asked about “a look in the cockpit” and an extremely rude and arrogant old guy shocking us with the manner in which he chose to speak to us.

Would it have been to much trouble to politely say that it “wasn’t possible”?

The guy was doing nothing, the Spitfire was just sitting there, we were the only people there and we could have walked over, looked in the cockpit and been away again within 30 seconds.

I have seen plenty of Spitfires in my time and had many guided tours of these aircraft by a lot of extremely interesting and friendly people who went out of their way to be helpful and were genuinely pleased that people were showing an interest in their aircraft.

The point has also already been made that you can go a couple of miles down the road to the BBMF and get a guided tour of 4 Spitfires, 2 Hurricanes, a Lancaster and various others for £3.90 – as well as access for photographs, with everyone being well mannered, civil and helpful.

There are ways of speaking to people and unfortunately, having “1000hrs on type” does not give anyone the right to be deliberately rude or arrogant.

Good manners cost nothing!

billyh42

This is ‘The Major’, Regular pilot Sqn/Ldr Paul Day OBE AFC RAF Rtrd. Known to many as Major, he is a former Officer Commanding BBMF and spent 23 years on the flight. He is probably the most experienced Spitfire pilot in the world with over 1,000 hours on type.

IMHO to pay £30 to have a tour of a living breathing Spitfre by such a well respected Spitfire pilot would be a priviledge, had I known prior to going there I would have booked one without hesitation.

John.

Sounds like it could’ve been the ‘major’

Just who exactly is “the Major”?

Sounds like it could’ve been the ‘major’