Spitfire history !

Cheers Chumpy,have been asked to convert the lowback frame pressing drawings into CAD for a guy overseas.Only have F12 and the forward ones are simlar to the highbacks.Just need the missing ones..A tad far for me to swim…Cheers

On regard of drawings how much is there for the low back spits??

Hi Spitty,
Yes there are low back drawings fus frame G/As etc, no doubt lots of detail stuff. The Spifire drawings run to several thousand sheets covering various marks. Normally they have every drawing, except the one you want!!

Cheers, Chumpy.

I have been going through the list this week of ones we need.

Steve

You seem to have managed quite well without them so far :p

On regard of drawings how much is there for the low back spits??

Quote of the entire post immediately above removed as unnecessary – Moggy

Hi all, i have to agree with chumpy on this, there are hundreds of 502/509 drawings available for T9’s held at Hendon. I have been going through the list this week of ones we need.

Steve

Quote of the entire post immediately above removed as unnecessary – Moggy

Hi AP,
Whilst you are totally correct with point 1,..cannot comment on your point 3.

I will have to correct you on Point 2, YES Supermarine did infact produce full production drawings for the T8 and T9. I cannot say if ‘all’ still exist but many hundreds of both 502 and 509 series drawings are held in the archive at RAF Hendon. The drawings covering all aspects, sheet metal detail parts, mods to existing structure, controls, systems, electrics etc. Mainly all fuselage related but also the wing fuel tank mods etc.

I do so like the ‘Make it fit and tell us later’ bit, sums up Spit construction totally!

Cheers, Chumpy.

That New T9

Trust me gentlemen I know.

Facts 1. Supermarine never constructed a new T8 or T9. They were all conversions.
2. Supermarine never produced a compleate set of drawings for these Trainers. they produced the general assembly drawings but not detailed part drawings for the majority of the structure as most of it already existed, cross referance was simply made to original drawings, the term “manufacture/ modify to shop template” and report errors to DO (drawing Office) occure regularly. An old late friend Mick Loyal who worked in the drawing office used to refer to this as the age of “Make it Fit and tell us later”.
Systems parts were however drafted down to the last detail.
3. Melton using a scaled drawing 1cm=1inch produced a tansparency of the entire fuselarge this allowed him to produce detailed dimensioned production drawings. It was from these that this aircraft was manufactured and fitted out with all the assential controls and systems befor being sold to Jet Cap.

BR601 thread

Mark – The text reads ” This Rolls-Royce Merlin 266 powered machine was originally manufactured as a MK.IX and has been rebuilt to two-seater specifications by Spitfire expert Harry Stenger , and team”

Must dig out that FlyPast article and relive the 1980’s!

so what is happening to BR601 then?

Cees

Last seen displayed as a fuselage at Lone Star Museum, Texas.

Mark

so what is happening to BR601 then?

Cees

I don’t remember if Charles Church was the original inspiration for this project. Maybe, maybe not. It was certainly conceived at a date very close to his death in July 1989 and built on his estate.Mark

It was really a post CC project Mark. The pricipal project to be completed immediately after the accident in July 1989 was BL628. The pressure was on for this to be done as there was a contract with Peter Croser to be fulfilled by the CC estate. Once 628 was out of the way (to Thruxton) the two-seat project was born, the first parts started to be made in June 1990 to supplement the bits and pieces we had from the de-conversion of ML417. PL344 was out of the jig by then and so the two projects went on side by side from summer 1990, although the single seater taking priority as it had the funding from the estate, completing the following year.

I think the wings are ex BR601

Bruce

The original BR601 wings as such were gas axed off outboard of the pintle.

Atlas ‘spiffed up’ some of the SA Metals material, leading edges etc into a presentable pair for static elevated display in Cape Town

I understand the wings, presumably the above, were rebuilt by Trent Aero and when returned to the UK from Florida for remedial update it was confirmed that they contained a considerable amount of original material.

So initiated by Dick Melton as a scratch built two seat fuselage…15%

Wings by Trent Aero and Airframe Assemblies………………………35%

Tail group and surfaces by A.N.Other………………………………..10%

Fit out by Harry Stenger to first flight……………………………….40%

So, David, I don’t think Dick Melton will be too displeased with the Flypast report.

I don’t remember if Charles Church was the original inspiration for this project. Maybe, maybe not. It was certainly conceived at a date very close to his death in July 1989 and built on his estate.

It like several Spitfires in the pipeline and some already flying is basically a new build aircraft with a token amount of fuselage structure incorporated from a donor fuselage section, MH367, with 100% serial ID provenance.

Mark

I think the wings are ex BR601

Bruce

From my recolection of the news item it says that MH367 was origionaly built as a single seater (which may or may not be correct I have no idea) It doesn’t say that MH367 was RE built as a single seater and then converted.

Amazing to see that the various Spitfire affectionardo’s don’t wish to air their views !

I have not read this article David, although if there is a suggestion that the ‘conversion’ took place in the US then the article is incorrect in that respect as it left Hampshire as a complete, but yet to be fitted out, fuselage. The aircraft was obviously completed and fitted out in Florida using wings also manufactured here and it seems they have done a superb job of it too.

Last week I couldn’t spell ‘affectionardo’, today I are one. 🙂

Mark

Amazing to see that the various Spitfire affectionardo’s don’t wish to air their views !

David–

Hee hee! Whatever her origins…she looks, flies and snarls like every other Spit. I’ve been looking forward to seeing this one since 2001 when she was slated to come up here c/o the late Carey Moore; course that never happened. Thrilled to see she has now flown, and I really like the off-the-beaten-path livery she wears, too. Now to see her “in the metal”…

S.