Spitfire ML417

Lucky?

ML417

…and to think when it arrived from India via the USA in 1980, it was an IAF two seater HS543 with no RAF serial provenance visible.

Drilling the rivets of the ‘Supermarine’ conversion data plate on the firewall revealed ML417 written in pencil on the back of the plate. Just a hunch. 🙂

Mark

FOUND IT!!

(from the older version of Ben Rodgers’ site, no less)

Still a bit mystified by the other pic I saw in Jeremy Flack’s book, however, as it predates this one by at least a couple of years. :confused:

Always one of my fave Spits – I was rather dismayed when she went Stateside, but at least she’s in good hands 🙂

I have a feeling that the tips were fitted to make the handling better during Tom Freidkin’s conversion to the aircraft, after he did some time at DX on PT462. They obviously came off for Legends 🙂

Thanks, Roobarb. I’m sure there is another pic of it similarly configured in one of Jeremy Flack’s books, but something tells me this was BEFORE the post-rebuild flight – I bought the book in 2000 at the DX BofB show in September…!!

The Spitfire was refitted with wingtips and in your desired colour scheme for it’s initial post-rebuild (after its u/c incident) flying in June 2001 but by July the clipped tips had been refitted. I have some pictures in front of me, 3/4 shots plus a rear view but my scanner is t*ts-up at the moment…sorry! It definitely had tips on 21/06/01 but they were off on 05/07/01 if that’s any help.

Paul – sorry, yes, should have been a bit more specific.

Mark – I did have a Google and found one, albeit a thumbnail that linked to FlyVintage.com which, since it has been through a revamp, doesn’t link to the image proper any more. It was a flying one, from underneath, and she was in full 2I-T colours!

🙁

Cliff Knox Photography

Well full tips for two of the film appearances in respective liveries.

I have just one shot from noted photographer Cliff Knox with what appears to be tips and the 21-T markings. It is full ‘side on’ take off, so not too obvious.

Suggest you Google.

Mark

Daz,

I guess you mean whilst in TFC’s ownership?

I must admit, I don’t recall seeing one of her whilst with TFC in the 443 sqn scheme and eliptical tips.

However, I do remember seeing a pic of her that was taken in 1944 in an old issue of FP. Interesting to see her with ‘c’ wings and the early style rudder and of course the correct wheels. 🙂

Cheers

Paul

Nooooo!! Stop torturing us, Yak-dude! 🙁

Not wanting to rub it in too much, ML417 flew 4 circuits about 3 hours ago and taxied back in, again photo’s to follow. I’m glad to say that I’ve seen this machine again, just need to catch up with AE977 now.

Once upon a time there were three Spits based at Booker AR213, MH434 and ML 417, seen here in the nude, April 84 ( eeek , that’s 20 years ago…)

Ah! The dual cross-country. That’s where you have a stopwatch in one hand, a ruler in another hand, a flight computer in another hand, a pencil in another hand, a map in another hand, a control column in another hand and the throttle in your other hand.

Now you probably know where the ‘cross’ in cross-country comes from.

Originally posted by Eddie
And anyway – your ears would have to be sharp to hear a Spitfire in Chino from San Diego, it’s a good 50 miles.

😮

Who said anything about Chino????

However after seeing ML417 yesterday I did my dual cross country to Chino yesterday, however there wasn’t time to stop but my intention is to return 😀

It would appear that the Warbird world neither revolves around Duxford or Chino, they are allowed to go elsewhere :p

And anyway – your ears would have to be sharp to hear a Spitfire in Chino from San Diego, it’s a good 50 miles.

😮

Re: Re: Re: Spitfire ML417

Originally posted by Janie
He’s doing his PPL out there. He just solo’d this week.
Now isn’t there a TF51 somewhere in that neck of the woods, Yak 11 Fan?

Ooops – I’m forgetting where ML417 is rather than where our friend is 😉

Originally posted by JDK
er hm

That’s three. 😉

Yeah strangely i thought that when i posted it :D,but i think you can sort of see what i mean in my madness

er hm

That’s three. 😉

Originally posted by DazDaMan
I got about 85% through building an R/C model of her before she was sold – after that, I just kinda gave up! 🙁

Was always very sad that she was sold as a kid she was one of only 2 spitfires i could remember the i.d of,the other being Mh434 and of course there was G-FIRE too.