Spitfire 'NH341' Wheels-up landing at Sywell

Thanks for the information, folks!

Yes, Platinum Fighters Sales reported the Hurricane sold a year ago (May 2016), and that it was heading to a UK customer, with the expectation/hope that it would be flying again in a few years. As I recall, the first restoration took 17 years and it only flew for about two years, I think, before the accident occurred. This is how she looked in better times: https://www.flickr.com/photos/funkywoodjam/2465726231/sizes/l

The last I can remember reading, the Hurricane was headed to the UK for a new owner.

Talking of Mr Greenwood, just the other day I was looking up what happened after that unfortunate incident a few years ago when TE308 chewed the tail of a Hurricane. Apparently the Hurricane has not been repaired. Seems a real shame (and I’m secretly hoping those sources are wrong, of course!)

Thank you for your concise answer Mark and a very philosophical outlook on the whole thing. At least you’ve done it and good to do the tailwheel check out as well. Bet the 5 hour flight with Bill Greenwood to Oshkosh will be an everlasting memory. Good for you.

Did you carry on and get your PPL and are you still current? No doubt you’ve got some Spitfire time logged now though.

Passionate about Spitfires, but not so flying.

In late October 1985 I set off with good intentions to get a PPL at Cranfield inside the six month time period which at that time was I think was 38-40 hours minimum.

In the event availability of myself, the same instructor, aircraft and the weather stretched this to nine months and the then requirement of, from memory, 42 hours minimum. I took 43 hours 55.

With just 47 hours total a very generous Lear 35 captain let me fly RH seat from Calgary to Vancouver PUT for the whole flight after take off and make the landing, signing my log book for 1:1 Dual ‘famil’.

Straight on to tail wheel conversion on Tiger, Cub and finally solo on the Chipmunk.

For me it was like joining the club, a badge if you like. PUT in Warbirds way outside my experience/ability level, was what I really enjoyed. The TF-51, A-37 and of course the Spitfire where I could now do more than just waggle the wings… stalls and low passes and one memorable trans-America flight of 5 hours from Aspen in the Rockies to Oshkosh with Bill Greenwood.

I kept the license current until the end of 1993 but found I was just doing the minimum required in the club 152, which didn’t make much sense, and during an intense day job period in mid winter I let it slip away.

Not passionate, no regrets, just a box ticked. 🙂

Mark

.

Mark12 ,Did you carry on and get your PPL and are you still current? No doubt you’ve got some Spitfire time logged now though.

Oh Peter, I know it was a sickner for Nick but you must of been gutted !

Didnt ML407 have a collapse at Eastleigh probably in 1987

The boo:-

At the Spitfire 50th anniversary display at Eastleigh on 5 March 1986, Nick Grace had the misfortune to suffer main undercarriage failure whilst landing at 0900 hours, but damage was slight, being confined to the propeller blades, cowlings and radiator housings, and ML407 was flying again within a couple of weeks thanks to a magnificent effort by technicians from Dowty-Rotol.

I was due to fly with Nick that special day to get it in my logbook PUT while getting my PPL. 🙁

Mark

Didnt ML407 have a collapse at Eastleigh probably in 1987

The only time I remember a collapse on the ground was ML417 some years ago, which had a pintle stud failure

Didn’t the same happen to PV202 at Goodwood when Ricky Roberts owned it? The repairs being done by Hawker Restorations at Earls Colne.

>As I say, if the gear is down, they cannot collapse. Read that through again<

Does this imply that perhaps ” the undercarriage lever was a bit sticky”…..?

Another aircraft (or two ) in work means that it is likely that flaps and other parts will be available should the unthinkable happen. Propellers can be easily borrowed if necessary.

TA. As I say, if the gear is down, they cannot collapse. Read that through again.

“Don’t they keep spares?”

Some warbird operators I’m aware of will have a spare engine, but usually that is so that when the current engine needs to be sent in for overhaul, they have a second that is ready to be installed in its place. I know most warbird operators will of course have some spare tires and some miscellaneous other parts, etc. What I was referring to, however, was the fact that, with ARCo involved, they had a second set of flaps, a newly-manufactured carburetor scoop, and prop blades already available to grab and attach to the aircraft so that they could fly it back to Duxford for the real work to be carried out. It’s a beneficial situation that of course is not afforded to rarer warbirds – I don’t mean anything by it, it just helps (partly) explain why it is not still at Sywell, or (partly) why it didn’t have to be disassembled and trucked back to Duxford.

I am guessing this is not the same as what happened here as both obviously collapsed together.

I am guessing they also did a quick rectification on the air intake and checked the rad doors would operate properly
Hats off to those who obviously treated this aeroplane with a lot of respect getting her back on her legs and flight ready for the hop to DX

This subject comes up from time to time. As BeauVI alluded too earlier, if the gear is down, its down. It cant overcome the locks. Note that the aircraft was back on its wheels within a couple of hours, and flown away within a couple of days.

The only time I remember a collapse on the ground was ML417 some years ago, which had a pintle stud failure.

Re two-seater operations keeping spares, I think MH367 in NZ still has a spare Merlin as referred to here (post digging in the prop during a precautionary landing at a glider strip).
http://rnzaf.proboards.com/index.cgi?action=gotopost&post=193729

“obviously parts that were to have been heading into other projects “
Don’t they keep spares?

I too think it must have been a “gentle” (?) collapse. To the me, with a “very” untrained eye, it looks as if the engine must have almost stopped by the time the prop grounded. If it had been rotating faster, wouldn’t all of the blades be the same length as the shortest, rather varying lengths?

Feel free to point out otherwise, I have no expertise in the matter – just a thought…

Also it shows that it must of been a very low speed slow collapse with the engine well throttled back to not damage the radiator cowls or the radiators.

A prop ready to pop on ! shows how good the dedication is to keep em flying