RAF Spitfires held in store

Just located this in my meagre collection. TE311 at the RAF Town Show, Markeaton Park, Derby, May 1987.

Hi All, I was reading the new issue of Today’s Pilot this morning,
which has an interesting article on Raymond Baxter. On one page there
is a beautiful drawing of a high-back MkXVI – LO-X, which is described
as Raymond’s personal Spitfire when he was the commander of ‘A’ flight,
602 squadron in 1945. It’s TB382!

Did the Todays Pilot give a date for this as Baxter also flew a mark XVI while with 602 Sqn at Ludham in Feb 45 which was LO-X SM388 (Allan125 sent me a scan from Baxters last book of his log book for Feb 1945 and I’ve got a Digital Photo of the the Squadron ORB for the same dates and the sorties for X in the logbook and SM388 in the F541 match).

She is in need of a rebuild. I had a good look at her back in 1993 and she has a fair amount of corrosion in the wings that could do with being sorted out along with a number of other items which need attention.

JXU
LA255 does sit in the 1sqn hanger at cotts . very nice she it also.
Some recent pics of her in the hanger here.
LA255 COTTESMORE 1 SQN HANGER

…and still painted in black with a 7 Squadron Lancaster code (XU) 😮

Mark

In 1(F) Sqn’s hangar at Cottesmore if its the one I’m thinking of… (which it isn’t! See below!)

JXU
LA255 does sit in the 1sqn hanger at cotts . very nice she it also.
Some recent pics of her in the hanger here.
LA255 COTTESMORE 1 SQN HANGER

Pictures of the RAFM Spitfires (including the wings from MK356) and some other goodies at Stafford can now be seen in that other mag starting with the word Aeroplane and ending in the word Monthly.

Anne.

Nice, GC. 🙂

She looks too clean ATM. :rolleyes:

I think I can speak for many when I say that it’s massively appreciated that the BBMF guys participate here, it really is.

Nice pics, Groundcrew. Looks soooo good.

Took these of TE311 this morning.

TE311 taken at Birmingham International 29 May 1984

Bought in for Static Display. The last time I remember seeing her complete.

I recall seeing a BofB-marked Spit XVI when I was much younger, at RIAT Fairford in about 1993. There’s a photo in the link below, but taken at Abingdon in 1990.

RAF Exhibition Flight Spits

TE311 taken at Birmingham International 29 May 1984

Bought in for Static Display. The last time I remember seeing her complete.

Must admit (and I know this is drifting off the main topic again, so sorry) I never did grasp why an H2S blister couldn’t be made and fitted to the Lanc?

Must be something about the cost as the perspex noses for YAM’s and Trenton’s Halifax has been a problem for years as well. The Lancaster H2S cover is also made of perspex and it must be able to withstand the airflow etc.

Cheers

Cees

This is TE311 back in November 2005. The Packard Merlin is now positioned on the bearers so that the cowling panels can be shaped & fitted.
I will try to get an uptodate photo tomorrow.

Must admit (and I know this is drifting off the main topic again, so sorry) I never did grasp why an H2S blister couldn’t be made and fitted to the Lanc?

That’s exactly how MK732 looked like at Abingdon in the seventies while in use as a spares ship for the BBMF.

Cees

These pics were taken in June 2001. TB382 was reduced to spares, although she was only skin and frames.

Silly question.. Why is the lanc in need of new spinners? and Yes Lancman a H2s blister would be nice.

wear and tear, balancing etc……………………….

Cees

Silly question.. Why is the lanc in need of new spinners? and Yes Lancman a H2s blister would be nice.