A very pleasant surprise today! On the Yarmouth-Lymington ferry heading back from the Isle of Wight around 6.45pm. As we were about to dock in Lymington, a Spitfire, splendant in Green/Brown camouflage flew low over nearby trees and pulled up into a loop. It continued for 5 minutes to do a low level loops and wing-overs before heading off towards Southampton.
The sun was setting in a clear blue sky, as the ferry captain announced over the tannoy that though he didn’t know who’s it was or what it was there for, “we have a Spitfire overhead ladies and gentlemen”. It was strangely evocative and those of us lucky enough to be on that particular ferry were treated to a superb low-level display.
My question simply, is can anyone shed light on which Spit it was and why it was there! There were no Squadron codes on the sides and even with binoculars I couldn’t make out a serial number. It had no cannons, had Green and Brown camo and looked remarkably like a Mk1. I’m aware that AR213 is not yet fully airworthy and so am very intrigued as to which aircraft it was making my day!
By: QldSpitty - 26th September 2007 at 07:40
It,s Fluffy!!
Can never be sure with him….:D He is a cheeky blighter..:p
By: Rich82 - 25th September 2007 at 22:49
So…..we’re pretty sure it’s P7350? Or are we not?
Oh to relive the moment….
By: Fluffy - 25th September 2007 at 20:58
I believe it’s P7350 she was doing displays around Thorney and Portsmouth area on that day
By: The Freshest - 25th September 2007 at 19:13
Im still convinced it is BBMF MKII P7350, as I said before I know it went up at 6:30 ish that day from Shoreham. Also BM597 was definitely on the ground, I remember it had its canopy covered by then. I cant see that P7350 was anywhere near there though looking at the BBMF display listings.
By: DCK - 25th September 2007 at 10:19
Guy Black has just emailed to advise that it definitely is not their BM597.
So just which Spit is this? 😀 🙂
By: Mark12 - 25th September 2007 at 09:51
🙂 Guy Black has just emailed to advise that it definitely is not their BM597.
Fluffy….P7?
Mark
By: DCK - 25th September 2007 at 07:00
Can you see the centre red of the underwing roundel or the black half diameter of the main wheel tyres?
Well no, but thats all apart of the main frame so to speak. Cannons are quite large. But then again, I could be wrong. Going completely on intuition 😀
BM597
That would be my tip if I had to choose.
By: Mark V - 24th September 2007 at 22:48
Rich – I think I did get the photo – thank you. Unfortunately I deleted it as the message was from a name I did not recognise and had no title but had an attachment! If it was titled ‘Mystery Spitfire’ I would have opened it but never mind 😮
Not EP120, as it has full wingtips (apart from the engine issue) and type A roundels. So yes, only possibilities are BM597 and P7350. No way its AR213 as a) it has not flown yet and b) the underwing roundels are not yet painted on!
However it does seem to have a 3-blade prop – I think P7350 is running one at the mo? My money is on 597 though.
Fluffy or anyone BBMF can you confirm please?
By: Eddie - 24th September 2007 at 20:21
The (almost certainly) A type roundels also rule out all but BM597 and P7350.
By: Mark12 - 24th September 2007 at 20:10
Im not so sure. It’s not even a fraction of colours going out from the wings to indicate cannons.
Can you see the centre red of the underwing roundel or the black half diameter of the main wheel tyres?
Mark
By: DCK - 24th September 2007 at 19:44
I suspect at this distance the short cannon stubs are fusing with the evening light and low sun.
Im not so sure. It’s not even a fraction of colours going out from the wings to indicate cannons.
By: Mark12 - 24th September 2007 at 19:23
Here is the shot from Rich82.
It is very small in the frame.
Port wing oil cooler so Mk I – V.
Unless AR213 has quietly flown from Booker :), the choices in the UK are P7350, AB910, BM597 and EP120. EP120 has the engine out, the other two are RAF, that leaves just BM597, which has short ‘B’ wing cannons.
I suspect at this distance the short cannon stubs are fusing with the evening light and low sun.
BM597 is a favourite of the evening concert, private function routine.
…or maybe its a model!
Mark
By: Rich82 - 24th September 2007 at 19:21
Thanks Mark V – have e.mailed the picture to you and Mark 12. Sorry it’s not the best, mum’s not an aviation photographer, lol.
Look forward to seeing what you can both do with the photo.
By: Mark V - 23rd September 2007 at 08:46
E-mail address PM’d to you Rich.
By: Newforest - 22nd September 2007 at 19:46
Rather embarassing that the land of the birth of the Spitfire can’t identify a single example flying about!:rolleyes: I saw seven or was it eight last Thursday, lost count. Now where was I? Oh yes, DX.:D
By: Rich82 - 22nd September 2007 at 13:05
There were no invasion stripes on the aircraft. I’ve cropped the one picture we managed to get of it but it still exceeds the picture size limit or something. If someone gives me their e.mail addy I’ll happily send the photo in the hope it provides a few answers. Many thanks once more for all the replies thus far.
By: Mark V - 22nd September 2007 at 10:18
PR.XI?
No – it was in the hangar at the time – he would have surely seen the invasion stripes if it had been PL965.
By: chumpy - 21st September 2007 at 23:09
Hi all,
Only Spit into Sandown in the last few weeks was Tr9 PT462/G-CTIX this has visited on a couple of weekends this and last year. Does it thing loops and all etc over the IOW / Solent then goes home. So almost certainly the one that ‘Mustang’ refers to.
Alas does not really fit the bill for the one that Rich saw, what with codes and cannons etc.
Cheers, Chumpy.
By: Mark V - 21st September 2007 at 08:50
All Spitfires have between two and four radiators under the wings. 😉
:dev2:
6.45pm, evening sun (?), over water. Unless he/she was performing for you personally it is unlikely that the code letters would be discernable without artificial assistance or a telephoto lens.
I think he said he was using binoculars, still cannot work this one out though (unless it was a Harvard)!
By: DazDaMan - 20th September 2007 at 21:41
Sans cannons – couldn’t have been either a Tr.9 or PR.XI?
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September 15, 2007 at 9:32 pm