Seafire LF111c PP972

Only the free French.

So are German, Italian and Japanese survivors.

That’s what tends to happen when you’re on the losing side.

I thought the French were on the winning side, eventually.

Isn’t that French plane a Potez something-or-other?

French aircraft survivors from WW2 are rare.

So are German, Italian and Japanese survivors.

That’s what tends to happen when you’re on the losing side.

Interesting picture Gordy, and yes, does anyone know what happened to the Bloch? French aircraft survivors from WW2 are rare.

Out of interest, what happend to the Bloch? (A 174/5(?) judging by the photo).

Might not get the blood racing like a Spit but its a vastly more rare aircraft.

Jeepman -from memory a couple of gentleman flew down in a FAA Hunter T.7 to go and have a look at her ! What a pity she wasn’t grabbed -it would have been great if they could have taken a trip to Baldonnel to look at the IAC Seafires on the dump at Baldonnel in the late 1960’s too!

Ken,

Les Cox, the curator of the FAA Museum, flew to France in July 1970.

All but one of the Irish Seafires are reported to have gone by March 1961, although 153 was spotted as late as March 1964.

If only we had known.

The ‘ones that got away’ will feature as an appendix in ‘Vol II of the boo’.

Mark

Was this originally offered to the FAAM when it was accompanied by a Bloch (152??) but turned down because it was felt to be too far gone – or was that an old wives tale?

Not the first time I’ve posted this shot of the Seafire and the Bloch at Gavres in 1966 – courtesy of the late Jean Frelaut.

Jeepman -from memory a couple of gentleman flew down in a FAA Hunter T.7 to go and have a look at her ! What a pity she wasn’t grabbed -it would have been great if they could have taken a trip to Baldonnel to look at the IAC Seafires on the dump at Baldonnel in the late 1960’s too!

was it one of the famous Tony Chung airframes or was it being sold in one of its three other guises to four different people ??.

Mike E:diablo::diablo::diablo:

Out of interest, how many Tony Chung airframes exist ??

Was this originally offered to the FAAM when it was accompanied by a Bloch (152??) but turned down because it was felt to be too far gone – or was that an old wives tale?

Absolutely true.

Mark

Hi:

Thanks to all for the info.
A pity really. It seems that with a little bit of care it could have been a very interesting addition to the airshow circuit, or at least an asset to a museum as a static restoration.

Thanks again
Bill

Was this originally offered to the FAAM when it was accompanied by a Bloch (152??) but turned down because it was felt to be too far gone – or was that an old wives tale?

was it one of the famous Tony Chung airframes or was it being sold in one of its three other guises to four different people ??.

Mike E:diablo::diablo::diablo:

No and no.

Ex almost complete Aeronavale Seafire.

Mark

was it one of the famous Tony Chung airframes or was it being sold in one of its three other guises to four different people ??.

Mike E:diablo::diablo::diablo:

I saw the aircraft circa 2002 -there were issues relating to the fuselage /wing marry up. At that stage the fuselage was being dismantled to rectify the problem. I doubt it has progressed much beyond that.

It will all be in Volume II … 🙂

This should reveal “all” – http://forum.keypublishing.com/showthread.php?t=14629

Essentially the restoration was close to complete 10-12 years ago, when various issues with the workmanship came to light. Rectification was required and was supposedly ongoing back then.

Presumably that work stalled for one reason or another.

Mark 12 will give you a definitive answer, but it did belong to Jean Frelaut and was finished in French (Aeronavale) markings. Spitfire P9374 ended up being a donor-wreck for a number of parts that ended up in PP972.

There is a photo (ex Mk 12) of her in my book “Spitfire Mark 1, P9374”