Sale of Royal British Legion Spitfire

I am under the impression that Help for Heroes is to help those who come back injured that the previous and current government aren’t willing to support where as the Poppy Appeal is as the article says to remember.

As a slight deviation from the thread, it was nice to see that whilst at the Leicester Tigers last night the Tigers all had a poppy printed on their shirts and the club has, as I understand, made a donation to the cause.

Resurrecting this thread, I see discontent with the RBL is growing… http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2010/nov/05/poppy-appeal-subverted-veterans-complain

I quite agree, I spoke to a couple of local members & they were horrified.

Dont be silly its the RBL they dont even get the chance to decide where branch funds go to above £1,000 it all has to go to London and you have to beg to get anything back even for welfare !!!!!!.

…and bearing in mind it is not built like the all GRP replicas to be sat outside on a plynth it needs to be kept under cover or the wooden element will suffer badly in time.
Perhaps they think someone with a vintage car and more money than sense will buy it for silly money to put on his lawn.

I hope whoever is thinking about buying it is smart enough to know that with its mixed construction it won’t last forever if kept as a piece of lawn art or on top of a Jaguar dealer.

But at that price, it might be bought on the spur of the moment as a “toy” by a wealthy person at the event.
I wonder if the auction catalog mentions the mixed construction…it might be subtle hint to a would-be buyer.

RBL Spitfire sale

At a meeting today we have been avised that the spitfire replica will definately be sold by Bonhams at Goodwood 17th September 2010.

You need to be sat down for the next part and if you are rebuilding a spitfire that is ALL aluminium get your insurance revised.

Apparantly Bonhams have put a valuation of between £40k and £60K on the aircraft and there apparantly will be a reserve (ppossibly £30k).Now either the guy forgot his white stick and his guide dog did the valuation or he was on something good with his lunch.If the latter I would like a few pints please.
Probably no one has yet looked at it and are just going off someones idea that does not have a clue about the aircraft and its structure.I think once someone with sense has a look that the estimated value will drop significantly
(£20k-£25k is probably a lot more realistic).
The suggested price is 50-100% more than it cost to build nearly 4 years ago and I thought things depreciated not appreciated ?.I know I am good but I dont paint pictures as well wish I did at that rate !!!! (perhaps I should start)

The only original Spitfire parts are in the cockpit,the wing tips are GRP the ailerons and elevators are GRP as is the rudder and the wing root fairings and the undercarriage doors.The fuselage frames are ply and the wings are ply ribs aluminium spars with aluminium skinning.The cowls are GRP as are the prop blades.Oh and I forgot some instruments and fittings are radioactive (the paint has degraded beyond minimum safe limits).

I am sorry but it is never going to be worth more than it cost to build as it is so easy to reproduce it unlike for example a genuine aircraft rebuild project based on an original aircraft with history.Or similar BUT all aluminium builds that will in time appreciate.

I cannot see any collectors or museums laying out the sort of money they are talking about plus Bonhams 15% plus VAT makes it very expensive and bearing in mind it is not built like the all GRP replicas to be sat outside on a plynth it needs to be kept under cover or the wooden element will suffer badly in time.

Perhaps they think someone with a vintage car and more money than sense will buy it for silly money to put on his lawn.Well I think they might be dissapointed.

I’m in the legion and i want us to keep it!!!!!!!!!! No one asked me:(

Shouldnt it be down to the members to decide??

I quite agree, I spoke to a couple of local members & they were horrified.

The fact that they are prepared to auction it a such a high profile venue as the Goodwood Revival suggests that the management believe that they have a valuable asset….

Agreed.
The venue is significant. Probably looking to sell it to a car collector…a little toy he can put beside his Astons and Bentleys.
Or worse, outside his carriage house.

There is something of a problem with valuing replicas, the old adage “it’s worth what someone is prepared to pay for it” springs to mind, and so a high profile auction is probably the way to go; however the right thing to do, is to offer it back to those who built it, for the money it owes them.

I entirely agree that the fair and proper thing to do was offer it back to those who built it first and also agree that it is difficult to value and at the end of the day is worth what someone is prepared to pay for it.
My reasoning was that those who attend to bid at a high profile auction are usually more than able to afford to buy the real thing (airworthy or static) so I am sceptical that they will bid huge amounts for a replica.
Many of the high end collectors in the car and aviation worlds seem to buy with a view to getting a profit on their initial outlay when they decide to move on their collection in the future. The value of a “real” airframe is quite likely to increase but a static replica is likely to have less investment potential and will therefore be a lot less attractive so it is unlikely to attract big bids.
Time will tell whether this was the correct approach from the point of view of realising the most money from the sale but whatever the outcome I feel that the treatment of the replica builders can at best be described as shoddy and the senior members of RBL management should be hanging their heads in shame.

I’m in the legion and i want us to keep it!!!!!!!!!! No one asked me:(

Shouldnt it be down to the members to decide??

There is something of a problem with valuing replicas, the old adage “it’s worth what someone is prepared to pay for it” springs to mind, and so a high profile auction is probably the way to go; however the right thing to do, is to offer it back to those who built it, for the money it owes them.

On the previous thread it said that the person responsible for curtailing the funding had departed and I had hoped that this would lead to a change of heart. The fact that they are prepared to auction it a such a high profile venue as the Goodwood Revival suggests that the management believe that they have a valuable asset so why sell the family silver.
Bearing in mind that this sale will be organised by a big auction house who doubtless expect a fat commission fee is this the right auction to sell it (if it has to be sold). I am sure there will be bidders there with really deep pockets but these bidders are very astute and I am sceptical that any of them are likely to want to bid a huge sum for a static Spitfire replica even if it is a very good one.
If RBL had offered it for sale by tender to interested parties I suspect that they would have raised just as much money as they will receive from the sale once they have paid commission charges and other auction fees.
Time will tell but it seems to me that someone in RBL with grandiose ideas has managed to shoot themselves in the foot again.
Incidentally I have always given to the British Legion but after seeing the way they have squandered money and treated volunteers so badly over the last few months I shall think very carefully before I put my hand in my pocket again.

So let me get this straight…you guys built it, put all your time in free-gratis, did one hell of a good job from all reports & what i can see , it has been used as intended and has given joy to at least one of those great men who flew it…..

and now some jumped up know-it-all (but knowing nothing ) prat has decided to stop using it & SELL it ????

i can only imagine the “annoyance” 😡 this has caused you…someone at the head of that organisation needs a good kick in the ar*e !

I have said in a previous thread that on merit this decision was wrong, however as Lindy’s Lad has said there are many out there prepared to give it a good home- lets hope this is the case.

Incidently, can anyone tell me what construction methods were employed & a contact name for the builders please.

Yep I built her give me a pm if you want to know more.A lot of info on the web site I put up at the time www.myspace.com/rblspitfireproject

And yes it is the one that went to Tiverton in Devon.

Is this the same spitfire that did so well for the Royal British Legion last year in Devon? http://www.tivertonpeople.co.uk/news/Spitfire-Display-Wins-Tiverton-People-Charity-Award/article-1539746-detail/article.html. Or was this something special from a more local Gentleman showing how it should be done?

There are quite comprehensive photos on the net regarding the build, the fuselage appears to be a traditional aluminium monocoque, the wings seem to have quite a bit of steel box and angle, especially at the root end; not a bad thing when you have hundreds of people clambering over them at shows.

I’ve just had a look at a few photo’s & it looks superb,thanks for the prompt reply- the report I’ve just read confirms your quote.

There are quite comprehensive photos on the net regarding the build, the fuselage appears to be a traditional aluminium monocoque, the wings seem to have quite a bit of steel box and angle, especially at the root end; not a bad thing when you have hundreds of people clambering over them at shows.

I have said in a previous thread that on merit this decision was wrong, however as Lindy’s Lad has said there are many out there prepared to give it a good home- lets hope this is the case.

Incidently, can anyone tell me what construction methods were employed & a contact name for the builders please.

are the volunteers who built it in a position to purchase it outright? A home could be found VERY easilly……

Can it be kept on strengh and re-housed? Seems a shame to sell it on after so much hard work.

Agree, PP
What caused the damage?