Spitfire T.8 G-AIDN MT818

Whereabouts of G-AIDN

Hi Folks,
Yesterday (23/02/2010) I rang the company who are re-furbishing the aircraft, and at present she is at Kemble in storage awaiting the credit-crunch to ease before completing the job, which includes re-fitting the original engine when she was new in 1944. I was an apprentice aircraft fitter in 1958 when the spitfire was at the Hampshire Aero Club, and in my spare time I would go and help with the job of getting her airworthy.
Billy Butlin (of holiday camp fame) was financing the job so that he could enter the Marble Arch to Arc de Triomphe race. She won the race as the fastest piston-engined aircraft. If anybody wants more information, please contact me on [email]briandi@uwclub.net[/email]

Thanks for the update Brian and welcome to the Forum. I probably saw you many times in my earlier ‘anorak’ days, those days when summers never seemed to end and adulthood never seemed to get closer!:)

A couple of shots with John Fairey at Middle Wallop in the summer of 1976

re;

against a murky English sky, the yellow scheme will stand out a treat!

A couple of shots with John Fairey at Middle Wallop in the summer of 1976

Hi Philip,

Was that slide film for those very nice images?

You’ve got to admit, that yellow scheme is gorgeous, even if it is just plain yellow!

A photo taken in the early 1970’s at either RAF Benson or RAF Abingdon, apologies about the quality of the image.

a href=”http://s972.photobucket.com/albums/ae210/leginlb/?action=view&current=s…” target=”_blank”>

Interesting that literally everything was yellow apart from glazing, tyre rubber and prop blades! Presume the original N32 yellow scheme did not extend to the wheels, gear legs etc? I know it had a full set of stencils too – which were quite prominent against the yellow paint.

I think it’s true. For some reason the name Otis Spunkmeyer rings a bell (he owned the C-47, and I *believe* had it painted in his company colours??)

A Google brings up this pic, but I’m not sure this is the aircraft being referred to:

Apologies for dragging this thread waaaay off topic! 😮

re;

Its bound to have some old miseries complaining. At Biggin Hill 2000 I have never seen so many different spits together in different nationalities. Some of us were drooling over the Dutch Spit in the evening light, yet there were comments such as “why on earth did they paint it in those colours” and some stupid yank who objected that the a/c parked up were not BOB era!

Personaly the sight and sound of a Spit is enough for me. I do wonder why they chose such a scheme all those years ago though?

some stupid yank who objected that the a/c parked up were not BOB era!

Was the BBMF Mk.IIa even there?? I’m not sure, but I think AR213 was…

I like the yellow, but think the other scheme above looks quite good too. But as long as it’s flying it doesn’t matter to me what colour it is! Sadsack’s post reminds me of the legend of the C47 owner in the U.S I believe being harangued by the airshow-goer about the choice of colour scheme of his aircraft. He eventually tired of this and turned round to the pleb and said “so what colour’s YOUR C47 then?” which shut him up. Don’t know if its true or just airshow myth, but it still makes me chuckle 😀

Hi Philip,

Was that slide film for those very nice images?

Yes, Kodachrome, probably K64 in those days.

So MK12

Just when is this book of yours going to be available ?

sorry if you have already answered this in a previous thread !

Jules

Ex BL370

‘G-ORDY’ has the official word. 🙂

BL370 gets a three page entry with five images two of which are ‘in service’ shots.

Mark

So MK12

Just when is this book of yours going to be available ?

sorry if you have already answered this in a previous thread !

Jules

Ex BL370

I note some serious modification to the head protection area on the frame behind the second seat.

Mark

Not sure you could call un-screwing the fairing and re-fitting the original canopy a ‘conversion’.

I had some suspicion that it was no more complicated than that but, not being sure, I thought it best to “remain silent and be thought a fool rather than open my mouth and remove all doubt”. 😀

cynic!

😀

cynic!

Not sure you could call un-screwing the fairing and re-fitting the original canopy a ‘conversion’.