Spit IX EN570

EN570/G-CISP cancelled today to Norway

Well put.

Since I started this debate with my less than enthusiastic comment regarding two- holers I will give my take on it.

First of all, it does not look as clean and beautiful as the single- seaters. The rear canopy is hideous, and the re- location of the front cockpit really does nothing for the Spitfire. The Grace canopy looks better but still… I think the trainer set- up detracts from the lines of the Spitfire just the same as clipped wings.

Secondly, it looks like the same thing which happened to the P-51 back in the 90s is repeating itself with Spitfires. Back then TF’s became the flavor of the month (or decade) and they started popping up like mushrooms. Is is almost to the point where you start wondering if World War II was fought with TF Mustangs vs TFW-190s, and Trainer Spits vs tbf-109s. If they were to redo the Battle of Britain movie with genuine airplanes today the spring chicken wouldn’t have Skipper as his wingman, he would be in the back seat…

On a slightly different tangent, you always seem to get the question “what if you were given a flight in one, what would you say then?”. In the vein that if you were to accept you really are a terrible hypocrite who ought to be burned at the stake. Yes, I’d fly in a two- seater and probably enjoy it. Then again I would fly in a PA-28 and enjoy that, and I don’t think those look like a diamond either. I would however not accept a flight if the “price” is to stand on the village square like a pillock and loudly proclaim that two-seaters are wonderful and looks like the previously mentioned gemstone.

T J

44-72035 I think would do me, 2 wars and original

Even if the paint scheme wasn’t correct for the history of the airframe? 😀

Andy

Let me give you a politicians answer I would much prefer a Mustang P51D with a clean air frame and still be Merlin powered.

So, Paul.
Let me pose this question.
If you were offered the opportunity of a flight in one of these two seaters, would you accept and enjoy it?
Or would you decline because the paint scheme was not authentic to the airframe?

Andy

re;

[QUOTE=paul178;2270957]Probably going to make myself unpopular with this but I think a 2 seater spitfire in RAF colours is an abortion.

Everyone is entitled to their opinion, but having seen the Grace Spitfire mesmerize a crowd of 1000s, I cant agree. And as soon as i can afford it I will be taking friends down to Biggin Hill to go up in the 2 seater.

Probably going to make myself unpopular with this but I think a 2 seater spitfire in RAF colours is an abortion.
Still those who own them and hope to make some money out of them good luck. From a forum that will happily count wheel spokes and the shape of the spinner I am surprised this has not come up before

From Wiki(I stand to be corrected if inaccurate)

Supermarine developed a two-seat variant known as the T Mk VIII to be used for training, but none were ordered, and only one example was ever constructed (identified as N32/G-AIDN by Supermarine).[124] In the absence of an official two-seater variant, a number of airframes were crudely converted in the field. These included a 4 Squadron SAAF Mk VB in North Africa, where a second seat was fitted instead of the upper fuel tank in front of the cockpit, although it was not a dual-control aircraft and is thought to have been used as the squadron “run-about.”[125] The only unofficial two-seat conversions that were fitted with dual-controls were a small number of Russian lend/lease Mk IX aircraft. These were referred to as Mk IX UTI and differed from the Supermarine proposals by using an inline “greenhouse” style double canopy rather than the raised “bubble” type of the T Mk VIII.[125]

In the postwar era, the idea was revived by Supermarine and a number of two-seat Spitfires were built by converting old Mk IX airframes with a second “raised” cockpit featuring a bubble canopy. Ten of these TR9 variants were then sold to the Indian Air Force along with six to the Irish Air Corps, three to the Royal Netherlands Air Force and one for the Royal Egyptian Air Force.[124] Currently a handful of the trainers are known to exist, including both the T Mk VIII, a T Mk IX based in the U.S., and the “Grace Spitfire” ML407, a veteran flown operationally by 485(NZ) Squadron in 1944.[126][nb 12]

Any owners want to get their paint out?

Thanks for the update Mark.

Time will tell if it acquires ‘slim’ cowlings, short intake, short horn elevator, spline u/c legs and five aperture wheels.

Mark

Fingers Crossed eh?

Cheers

Paul

Ah yes, BR601!

Do you know how the restoration is progressing Mark?

Paul

Images from June 2015 show a fully finished and painted single place fuselage, as is the B-HHH corporate style,…and very nice too.

Time will tell if it acquires ‘slim’ cowlings, short intake, short horn elevator, spline u/c legs and five aperture wheels.

Mark

Your day will be BR601.

Mark

Ah yes, BR601!

Do you know how the restoration is progressing Mark?

I know there was thread on WIX a few months ago, with someone mentioning that the Collings Foundation has plans to convert it to two-seater.

However, someone with connections to the CF, or involved with them, confirmed that it would stay as a single seater, and that the restoration will be finished to the standard the previous owner intended.

Cheers

Paul

…. I’ve always been hoping that with the earlier serialled MK.IX recoveries/restorations, …

Oh well, maybe one day!

Cheers

Paul

Your day will be BR601.

Mark

Whilst two seater Spitfires are always welcome because they give others and would be Spitfire pilots the chance to fly and train in one, I’ve always been hoping that with the earlier serialled MK.IX recoveries/restorations, the opportunity would be taken to restore one too how it was when crashed, or an early modification state such as when it entered service.

We’ve all seen how wonderful the early MK.Is (P93754 & N3200) look, and have given all the chance to see what an early Spitfire really was like. The same can be said for the Fairfax Spitfire MK.V EE602.

Oh well, maybe one day!

Cheers

Paul

Unfortunately I was kind of expecting that, but thanks for the confirmation.

T J

Two place.

Mark