By: Ant.H - 8th September 2002 at 21:02
RE: Spitfire LF Mk.16 RW382
I know I’m bringing up a very old argument here,but I thought it ought to be done…
I can’t for the life of me see why somebody would want to restore the wreckage of RW382.There are a large number of Spits about these days,and surely there are others in more reasonable condition that could be restored?I don’t see why someone would specifically want to put the RW382 identity back in the air.To my mind the machine was destroyed in 1998 and it’s pilot killed.Why not build this new machine with the identity of another?To my mind,rebuilding RW382 is an erasing of the fact that it crashed,and this I find offensive and rather peculiar.
I would say roughly the same for the case of TE566 in South Africa, although it’s rarity in that country does make it more desirable for some to restore the machine.My dad used to work alongside the former Czech fighter ace Adolf ‘Tommy’ Vybiral,who flew TE566 whilst it was with 312sqn,and I wonder,if he were still with us,what Tommy would have to say about it’s rebuilding after a fatal crash.
By: David Burke - 8th September 2002 at 20:36
RE: Spitfire LF Mk.16 RW382
She is on the Isle of Wight with Airframe Assemblies under rebuild.
By: Bradburger - 8th September 2002 at 19:45
RE: Spitfire LF Mk.16 RW382
Hi Again TCDL
Sorry to report this but RW382 (NX382RW) was all but destroyed in a crash in America (flew into high ground in bad weather) in 1998 although I understand what was left is under rebuild to fly again.
It was one of Historic Flyings first gate guardian Spits to fly and was sold I think to an American named Bernie Jackson.
Cheers
Paul
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September 8, 2002 at 1:46 pm