Spitfire P9374 heading stateside!

Precision hole angles and pins for the Hawker products..

Simple….in WW2, production had been honed in Hawkers to producing tubular framed aircraft. Hind, hart, fury etc. The strength was in the tubing which in itself was complex but standard. Shape came from wooden formers covered in fabric. Similarly, the wing spars were complex rolled polygons. So they were tooled up to do this for the hurricane.
On the other hand, Spitfire were at the time relatively new processes semi monocoque and required a degree of new practices and tooling for Supermarine, who had been building traditional and mostly wood seaplanes. The early spits show RR like handbuilding.

Fast fwd to the 80s. Production methods are very much geared to Spitfire tooling. Whilst, Hawker tooling died with the Hurricane. The polygon machines, the tube squaring machines have all but one or two long gone. To a certain degree, the metal available has changed needing replacements or new batches.

Hurricanes were built using state of the art methods and tooling in the 1930s, long since obsolete. Spitfires were new methods.

I don’t understand why it now takes about twice as many hours and probably money to restore a Hurricane to service as it does a Spitfire. During the war was not one of the pluses for a Hurricane was the less time to build or repair compared to the Spitfire?

Time for an update of the boo….ks.

Reckon you’re right CeBro

Or would be happy for TFC’s Beaufighter to leave?

If the result was that she would be completed, to either static or airworthy condition, leaving would be a good result.

Time for an update of the boo….ks.

At last count aren’t there about 20 Spitfire projects in Australia?

Interesting, I didn’t realise there were that many. Thanks

I guess it’s a natural reaction no matter where you are, but in fairness you guys haven’t got a surplus in Australia.

At last count aren’t there about 20 Spitfire projects in Australia?

As a child/teen I got very upset – to the point of tears – when historic/veteran aircraft were sold out of New Zealand. As I grew up and learned more about the industry and the much-mentioned ebb-and-flow, I’ve gotten over it. I enjoy aircraft while they’re here, lament when they leave, and get excited about new arrivals.

Anyone upset about “America” getting a Mk.I is presumably also upset about the Buchons being on the UK scene as the type has no RAF/FAA heritage? Or would be happy for TFC’s Fiat and Beaufighter to leave?

Whatever happened to the story of TE566 being rebuilt as a Tr.9?

What ever happened to the TE566 remains…last reported in the Kemble area.

Something not quite right there, I suspect.

Mark

Envelope or Jiffy bag? 😀

I would go for a transit pick-up truck or something bigger to include the heavy stuff.

Thin but robust provenance.

P9372

P9373

From the two seat Spitfire Facebook page.

NEW AIRFRAMES

Two T9s are being built at Airframe Assemblies Isle of Wight ,one of which is EN570 and headed to Norway, and “No14” which is Peter Monk’s and headed to Biggin Hill.
Enjoy, like and share![/COLOR]

Whatever happened to the story of TE566 being rebuilt as a Tr.9?

Still deep in storage as far as I’m aware!

Envelope or Jiffy bag? 😀

Minor point on MH367. FL-A are the displayed code letters (NZer Colin Gray’s 81 Sqn machine in North Africa), its registration is ZK-WDQ.

NH341. G-CICK, owned by Keith Perkins of Aerolegends. Had maiden flight first customer flights shortly. £2500 with Aerolegends for 20 min experience /10 min airborne. (Rebuilt mainly from new parts and finished 2017.

Ten Minutes airborne for £2,5000 ! Hmmmmm……..Time will tell whether the punters will swallow that.

10 mins and a repli –oh well ” (Rebuilt mainly from new parts and finished 2017)” .The problem is the average “punter” will just hear the word Spitfire.

NH341. G-CICK, owned by Keith Perkins of Aerolegends. Had maiden flight first customer flights shortly. £2500 with Aerolegends for 20 min experience /10 min airborne. (Rebuilt mainly from new parts and finished 2017.

Ten Minutes airborne for £2,500 ! Hmmmmm……..Time will tell whether the punters will swallow that.

Yes that is the downside 🙁

From the two seat Spitfire Facebook page.

APRIL UPDATE
As of this month there are 13 Two Seat Spitfires in the world.

There are currently 8 airworthy ones:

MJ627. G-BMSB. 9G-Q. She is owned by Warbird Experiences. In stunning condition after her “Annual” and respray. Season started beginning of March and she is taking people up many days a week. Current price is £2550 for 30min experience/20 min airborne.
(Genuine 1943 Spitfire. Majority of aircraft is original. Genuine combat record)

MT818. G-AIDN Owned by Paul Andrews but is operated by Warbird Experiences at Biggin Hill. Currently having her “Annual” but will be back in the skies shortly. (Genuine 1944 Spitfire. Was the first ever two seater and was the Vickers factory prototype. Majority of aircraft is original)

ML407. G-LFIX. OU-V. Carolyn Graces’ aircraft. Airworthy and in lovely condition, flying from Sywell. Price £2790 for 35min experience/25 min airborne. (Genuine 1944 Spitfire. Significant combat record. Majority of aircraft is original)
———————————————————————————————–

PT462. G-CTIX. SW-A is owned by Anthony Hodgson. Airworthy but does not fly members of the public. (Rebuilt from a derelict wrecked fuselage by Charles Church then Dick Melton. Many new parts. First flew in it’s restored state 1997)

PV202. G-CCCA. 5R-H is owned by Historic Flying Ltd. Airworthy. Price £2500 with Aerolegends for 20 min experience /10 min airborne. Also available with Classic Wings for £2450 30min experience/20 min airborne.(Original PV202 had genuine history and was one of the six IAC aircraft. Original restoration flew 1990 under G-TRIX. Tragically crashed in 2000. Salvage bought by ARCo/HFL and rebuilt. Flew as G-CCA in 2005)

MH367. FL-A is owned by Doug Brooker’s. Airthworthy in NZ. Current price NZ$3950 for 30 min experience/20 min airbourne. (Rebuilt from parts from 4 genuine Spitfires few of which are from MH367! Flew in restored condition November 2006)

SM520. G-ILDA. KJ-I. Owned by Boultbee Vintage. Airworthy. Season starts on 6th April. Current price £2550 for 30min experience/20 min airborne.(SM520 was rebuilt from mainly new parts first in 2002 and then finally finished and flew 2008)

NH341. G-CICK, owned by Keith Perkins of Aerolegends. Had maiden flight first customer flights shortly. £2500 with Aerolegends for 20 min experience /10 min airborne. (Rebuilt mainly from new parts and finished 2017)

THE NON FLYING TWO SEATERS

MJ772. G-AVAV NL-R Now registered to Warbird Experiences Ltd. (Genuine original aircraft with majority of aircraft original.)

TE308. RY-M. Owned by Bill Greenwood. (Genuine original aircraft with majority of aircraft original.)

NEW CONVERSIONS TO T9 SPEC

BS410. G-TCHI. PK-A. The owner is Martin Phillips

NEW AIRFRAMES

Two T9s are being built at Airframe Assemblies Isle of Wight ,one of which is EN570 and headed to Norway, and “No14” which is Peter Monk’s and headed to Biggin Hill.
Enjoy, like and share!

Ahem.. MH603, cough

Ahem.. MH415, cough

But all too often these days it’s a two-seater.

Moggy

Yes that is the downside 🙁

Ahem.. MH603, cough

I guess it’s a natural reaction no matter where you are, but in fairness you guys haven’t got a surplus in Australia.

Not anymore as they are all overseas now..