Pay’s Spitfire MH603

Indeed she has….

https://warbirdsnews.com/warbird-restorations/supermarine-spitfire-mk-i… 

According to John Terrell in this WIX post MH603 has flown for the first time after restoration today.

Hi All,

Vintage Fighter Restoration  Some of MH603’s History and in depth pictures during restoration :-  https://www.vfr.net.au/spitfire-ix-mh603 

 Newqldspitfire – Thanks for the update matey and to add to your news a nice article here featuring some history behind the chosen paint scheme (To many pics to post) and top picture, Courtesy of Warbirds News:- ( https://warbirdsnews.com/ )  Article:- https://warbirdsnews.com/warbird-restorations/supermarine-spitfire-mk-i…

MH603’s first engine run:- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l2p82fmHESw

Above video courtesy

of:- https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCiBPSalkknuSlSHDv0g1LEQ

Geoff.

Think Covid has slowed things down.NSW has been hit pretty hard…Te392 is local up here but seems to fly mainly on the south side of Brisbane..Ive never seen it up here at Caboolture.

I think I must’ve been – that MH603 hadn’t flown came as a big surprise!

Not thinking of Mh415 or Te392?

For some reason I thought this had flown years back!

Yes £3.5 million

And now currently up for sale…

Hi All,

 I have searched through 31 pages of threads and cannot find any featuring updated news, so please forgive me if this news is buried in another different titled thread.

Supermarine Spitfire MH603 Paintwork refreshed.

The following article courtesy of John Parker for :-https://www.warbirdsonline.com.au/https://www.warbirdsonline.com.au/

Actual article with a lot more pictures that I couldn’t possibly fit in the thread featuring MH603 itself/Chin-Engine and Side-Cowlings at varying stages of the work being completed. :- https://www.warbirdsonline.com.au/2021/09/28/supermarine-spitfire-mh603… 

Supermarine Spitfire F Mk. IX MH603 at Pay’s Air Service and Vintage Fighter Restorations (VFR) at Scone NSW is undergoing a refresh of her paintwork.  Following on from our report of the first engine runs of Supermarine Spitfire F Mk. IX MH603 in our news article of June 2020 we can now report on her progress towards her first flight in in over 7 decades.  She’s edging ever closer with virtually all of the detail systems testing now complete and the detail of cosmetic completion of the aircraft is being carried out.

Recently the aircraft was moved from the restoration hangar at Vintage Fighter Restorations (VFR) to Pays Aviation Paint shop facility for a comprehensive refresh and detail of the paint finish on the aircraft.  This level of accuracy is not to be hurried and a mountain of research has to be undertaken in an effort to ensure the completed aircraft not only looks good but is period correct.  As this is the actual scheme it carried in January 1944, it has to be historically precise as well. In addition all the cowlings and access panels have now had their final fitting and adjustments they are being completely refinished and are in keeping with the rest of the airframe.

Whilst the Spitfire had been painted when it was structurally completed, the detail of the finish was not fully applied, including various stencils etc. Moreover during the extensive completion of the restoration inevitably wear and tear occurs to the paint finish so it was always envisaged that this comprehensive update of the paint scheme would be undertaken just prior to its first flight.

The paint work is currently being carried out by Bennii Walters in the paint shop of Pay’s Air Service. Although over the years, work on the internal painting, wings and exterior surfaces has also been undertaken by Rod Curmi and Mal Pittman and the finish so far is a real credit to the workmanship of this team.

Bennii is currently retouching all of the external camouflage on the aircraft in the original 331(Norwegian) Squadron scheme it wore in WWII coded “FN-B”.  Every effort is being made to complete this scheme as accurately as possible with correct placement and colour matching of the serials, rondels and stencil markings.

Our selection of images taken during the refinishing process as it moves to completion will be updated once the aircraft leaves the paint shop soon. Supermarine Spitfire F Mk. IX MH603 will be ready for her first flight of since 1955. Warbirds Online will report on the first flight of Supermarine Spitfire F Mk. IX MH603 in the very near future.

We extend our thanks to Ross Pay and the team at Pay’s Air Service and Vintage Fighter Restorations for their help and assistance with this report. We wish to also thank Bennii Walters of Pay’s for supplying the images of Spitfire MH603, because of our limited ability to travel to Scone NSW  due to the COVID-19 lockdown.

Did you miss the news on the first engine run by Supermarine Spitfire MH603?  Then go to the Warbirds Online News article here.

Geoff.

Another update on the two Aussie Spitfire projects….

http://www.warbirdsonline.com.au/2018/01/08/spitfire-mh415-mh603-restoration-news/

If they intend to fly it in the RNoAF colors post- war the shade of green is actually quite right. We did choose a different green than the normal RAF Dark Green. You can see some illustrations here: http://flyblader.com/onewebmedia/Nr%201%20Spitfire%20IX.pdf

Text in Norwegian only I’m afraid, but drawings and photos are multi- lingual I should think.

T J

Fair enough thanks for clarifying, only there seemed to be a thread slip to MH415.

MH603 as per the original thread.

What MH603 or MH415?

I suppose one of us has to say it, so it might as well be me :rolleyes:

The colours used seem a bit on the “unusual” side compared to what I’m familiar with…

Roobarb

I have a feeling that MH415 would be somewhat outnumbered, given that at least one other Buchon has returned to its film colours…!

Bring MH415 and ARCo’s Buchon together in their film splendor. Invite Edward Fox, Christopher Plummer, Ian McShane and Michael Caine to the gathering. Too bad Robert Shaw and Susannah York are no longer with us.

T J

Wrong? No, as this is the Key Publishing Forum for some reason I expected it!

Is it wrong to hope MH415 is restored to her “Battle of Britain” markings?