Spitfire G-FIRE

For some reason it is rather difficult to obtain good flying shots of G-FIRE, probably because it actually attended relatively few air shows. If anyone has any they’d like to see published please PM me 🙂

Yes, but I’m not sure where. How long have I got to locate them?

I have flying shots at Mildenhall, DX, Alconbury and possibly some more. All on film. I’d need to find the negatives to get a publishable image.

On a very early 80’s video i have of a GWAD there is a clip of G-FIRE being ‘scrambled’ by Chris Bevan. Certainly looked and sounded nice on take off.

Rob

There was a stunning air to air shot in the 1986 Airshow magazine that Flypast produced. I believe that was a Jeremy Flack picture as well.

Couple of nice flying shots on these links

http://www.airliners.net/photo/Supermarine-379-Spitfire/1279895/L/&sid=f3fb3c743cfb6c575958d2215f2f2756

http://www.fotolibra.com/gallery/955626/spitfire-frxive-g-fire-nh904/

The only time I would have seen G-FIRE would have been the Biggin Hill displays in the early ’80’s. Who would have displayed the Spit then???

Chris

The 1st Spitfire book by Jeremy Flack has the only decent in flight shots I’ve ever seen.

Good flying photos anyone?

For some reason it is rather difficult to obtain good flying shots of G-FIRE, probably because it actually attended relatively few air shows. If anyone has any they’d like to see published please PM me 🙂

Happy Days.

Flack attended the GWAD’s at West Malling in the early ’80’s. His was one of a number of fighters with their tails right up against the crowdline fence and did several very wet, fiery starts, much to the pleasure of all the Prop-Heads standing a few feet behind. RH was there with ‘434 with many others. One display ended with a small formation around the then silver-painted Sally-B whilst some old wartime music played over a very rough PA. All this as low cloud and mist closed-in. Very moody and evocative. Those displays had a wonderful informality about them too. Happy days, – gone but not forgotten. I have zillions of photos on slide. I’ll put some up when I get a suitable scanner. 🙂

The article in the IIRC March1983 issue of Flypast was one of my favorites. I must have read it a million times. G-FIRE was my fav Spit too.

Cees

That looks alot cleaner than when I saw it, I do think it went downhill in condition after Spencer sold it. The tailwheel was fixed permanently down soon after it was sold iirc.

I did the panel for G-FIRE. I will dig out the image later today.

Full airways with a hint of Spitfire. 🙂

Mark

Certainly enough ‘kit’ to do an instrument approach to ‘Charles de Gaulle.

Unfortunately a perfectly serviceable top fuel tank was consumed in getting all this stuff in. The tank would not seal and was replaced by a fully welded affair made by Grand Prix Metalcraft. The fundamentals of pounds per square inch were not fully understood, by some, and under pressure testing the tank suddenly went pop and was a different shape. Too many square inches. 🙂 A further tank was commissioned and tested at a lower pressure.

Fond memories.

Mark

Chris Bevan was flying the Classic Airways Anson afew years ago.

I sat in G-HUNT & iirc it was a funny grey/blue colour with modern (for its time) instrumentation. G-FIRE when I looked in was all black & had alot of radios across the top of the panel.

Does Chris Bevan display anything anymore, or is he out of it alltogether? Haven’t heard that name for many years.

T J

Always liked the colour scheme of G-FIRE,I flew up to Elstree with a mate in the summer of 1982 and she was in the hangar there and looked lovely in red.She also attended a few PFA rallies at Cranfield if I recall correctly and I seem to remember the white exhaust stacks,but never really thought about them till they were mentioned in this post.

Slight thread drift but same subject. What was the cockpit of G-FIRE and indeed G-FURY and G-HUNT like ? We’re they bog standard or had they been modified in colour or fit ?

I did the panel for G-FIRE. I will dig out the image later today.

Full airways with a hint of Spitfire. 🙂

Mark

Slight thread drift but same subject. What was the cockpit of G-FIRE and indeed G-FURY and G-HUNT like ? We’re they bog standard or had they been modified in colour or fit ?

IMHO it looks like very high lead content in the fuel rather than paint in Slicers image link.

Can anyone tell me why the exhaust looked white on this Spit?

Knowing Spencer probably something like this:-

http://www.zircotec.com/page/–performance-white/41

Mark

thats the pic

Found this image on wiki. G-Fire and Chris Bevan?

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:G-FIRE_Spitfire_FR_Mk._IXc_%281%29.jpg

Also did a crop on the exhausts stubs – look pretty white

Chris