Spit PK664 Sighted on the M6

I saw it in Uppingham town center on Wednesday (17:10 ish) heading in the direction of Cottesmore.

I nearly went cross-eyed trying to read some of the captions there last year. In the gallery with the rockets, leading up to the aviation hall they actually have descriptions written in black ink (small letters too) on dark blue paint… in a very dark room. It was nearly impossible to read! I was really shocked at the very poor quality of information presentation. The exhibits themselves are quite magnificent though, so I really shouldn’t complain…. but since it was brought up…

Cheers,
Richard

The aviation gallery at the Science Museum is well worth a visit at any time.

Spent a very enjoyable couple of hours in the gallery yesterday. My second visit in as many months. Agree totally about the lighting. It makes Hendon look well lit. I wish more of the aircraft were at floor level. The E28/39 and Me-163 are particularly difficult to get a decent view of. Well worth a visit though.

I agree about the aviation gallery and the impressive engine collection,but it’s such a damn shame it’s so dark. I’m not talking “difficult-for-photography RAFM dark”,I had difficulty reading the labels on the engines with my own eyes! There are a few windows around,but the natural light doesn’t seem to penetrate very far and the artificial light is restricted to spotlights. It baffles me as to why they painted the ceiling of the gallery such a dark blue,things like Amy Johnson’s Moth up in the rafters almost disappear into the gloom.
Sorry for the rant,it’s still a very impressive collection.

The aviation gallery at the Science Museum is well worth a visit at any time. My evil employers sent me to work in Knightsbridge recently for three weeks, just around the corner from the Science Museum. Spent many lunch breaks browsing the collection (free admission). Apart from the many historic aircraft from WW1 and WW2, there is also a great collection of engines, including many British, American, German and Japanese piston engines of WW2. I Was surprised to find an Armstrong Siddeley Jaguar there, having read a thread on here about the great scarcity of these engines and nobody had mentioned this one.

Stuart

To answer the question…

It’s left RAFM Stafford to go to the Prop Shop (ARC) at Duxford to be tarted up before going on show at the Science Museum.

Anne

Anne, thanks for clarifying things. Look forward to seeing her on display. 🙂

Mike J and Mark, thanks for the sanity vote (not). :p

Daz,

There’s going to be a special ‘Spitfire’ exhibition there from August which is due to run for eighteen months. Apparently the Spitfire will be displayed in ‘component form’ so you can see the interior construction.

Some of our museum’s Spitfire related exhibits will be part of this exhibition, which should be good publicity for us.

Geoff.

Hmm, really…

I think a trip down south next year should be on the cards… 😉

Why is it going on show there? They already have one Spitfire – Mk1 P9444.

Daz,

There’s going to be a special ‘Spitfire’ exhibition there from August which is due to run for eighteen months. Apparently the Spitfire will be displayed in ‘component form’ so you can see the interior construction.

Some of our museum’s Spitfire related exhibits will be part of this exhibition, which should be good publicity for us.

Geoff.

Am I missing a very deeply concealed point somewhere?

Totally. 🙂

Mark

Tweed

Mark12, that dataplate appears to be attached to a tweed surface????

My education regarding the use of tweed in spitfire manufacture is sadly lacking.

Robbo

Close.

It was the fore-runner of today’s carbon fibre technology.

You will of course be familiar with the ‘Aerolite’ Spitfire produced by Aero Research Ltd at Duxford, using untwisted fibres of flax coated in phenolic resin?

Mark

Why is it going on show there? They already have one Spitfire – Mk1 P9444.

To answer the question…

It’s left RAFM Stafford to go to the Prop Shop (ARC) at Duxford to be tarted up before going on show at the Science Museum.

Anne

“Please, do not adjust your brain, there seems to be a fault in reality”.
Anon.

Is there a logic here. PK664 was a gate guardian which on the link below looks to be in reasonable exterior condition. This a/c is being used for spares in order to get the PK519 dataplate airborne.

PK664

Next time I fly in a vintage aeroplane I would be more than happy to carry PK519’s dataplate aloft with me if that would spare PK664 from being carved up. Perhaps someone could mount it in the rear cockpit of one of the airworthy two seaters?

Am I missing a very deeply concealed point somewhere?

You rang?

Tweed Spitfires sadly failed to -ah- take off. Dunno why.

Still, better than wearing clothing held on with magnesium rivets.

Is the spitfire going to be restored to flying condition? all you need is a dataplate+ ££! 😀 😀

Mark12, I trust the dataplate is intact?

Robbo,

Too right! 🙂

Mark

I have have it on good authority it is to be a ‘spares ship’ for project PK519. 😉 🙂

Mark