Spitfire XVIe TB885

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Mark12
[B]Dan,

It is dark and lonely work but somebody has to do it.

Why just today I had to go and photograph on a film set and watch one our lovely Mk. Vs come to grief.

…………………………………………………………………………………….

Eh?? 😮

Geoff/Dan,

With TOC 322 Sqd. 29 March 1944, my money would be on, black spinner, no tail band and type ‘c’ upper wing roundel, possibly at this date even with a yellow outer.

Mark

Mark,

I’ve only seen that painting in the museum, it is a bit of an oldie from before I was with the museum, & wasn’t aware that it was TB885, or had forgotten. 😮 I shall have to see if there’s a spare copy left!

I haven’t spoken to Geoff about the article I’m thinking of doing for our newsletter, but I will today when I see him. Maybe he will let me know/borrow his references for the painting.

Geoff.

Mark12,

I can’t quite tell what the spinner color is in that painting of TB885. And is that really an accurate paint job? Were they on the continent in 45 with no fuselage band and the black spinner as well as the different upper wing roundels?

I can’t seem to find a photo of a 322 Spit XVI. The one photo I found was of IXs in 44.

Dan

Dan,

It is dark and lonely work but somebody has to do it.

Why just today I had to go and photograph on a film set and watch one our lovely Mk. Vs come to grief.

…………………………………………………………………………………….

Geoff,

Geoff Nutkins did a magnificent painting of TB885 in the markings it carried with 3W-V of 322 Sqd.

Are you guys not talking ? :rolleyes:

Mark

Dan,

I wont ask you to do a profile as it was on the dump at Kenley then. 😀

If anyone can come up with details of RAF markings for TB885 to enable a profile, that would be great.

Geoff.

It gets real tough not to be very envious of how close you are to all the Spitfire action Mark12.

Oh to be in England again 🙂

Dan

“et voila”

🙂

Mk 22 Spitfire RAF Kenley

Dan,

Yes that is a Mk 22 fuselage – PK665, with no wings apparent

This was also buried post my visit. The Biggin Hill based group, I think it was HAPS, conducted a search and located the fuselage and it was recovered to a member’s rear garden. I understand a complaining spouse ordered the item to be removed and it went for scrap. Silly girl and ‘good bye’ pension.

The broken off tail fin, complete with 610 Squadron crest , survived on display at a local ‘dig’ museum until 1973, where it was exchanged for a ‘German’ seat with the owner of Seafire 46 LA564. By amazing good fortune it was a perfect over lapping fit and ideal for grafting on the shorn ‘gas axed’ fin unit of the Seafire. British Aerospace at Hatfield undertook the task in their apprentice school.

Mark

Originally posted by von Perthes
Dan,

Any chance of a profile of TB885 in RAF colours, and as R1274/QV-V, pretty please?

Geoff.

Any idea on markings while it was with 322 Squadron? That might be fun to do.

As for QV-V, I have no clue on colors and the photo posted by Mark12 doesn’t show enough to be able to do it justice.

Finishing up a couple for Daz, but I’d be happy to take a crack at TB885 if I can get a bit more info

Dan

Dan,

Any chance of a profile of TB885 in RAF colours, and as R1274/QV-V, pretty please?

Geoff.

Originally posted by Mark12
…………and one of my favourites. On the fire dump at RAF Kenley circa Sept/Oct 1958. In the cockpit is my school chum, my best man and still my very good friend – Trevor Tew. This shot was taken after a report from our school CCF, of which we were not members, had reported sighting a ‘crashed’ Spitfire whilst on a ‘gliding’ visit. We didn’t believe it but we cycled all the way over from Wembley the next weekend to check it out.

Mark

What’s behind it? Is that a Spit 22/24?

Oh how I’d love to stumble on to something like that:)

As a kid I think I’d have found a way to bring it home piece by piece. Not sure my parents would have appreciated a backyard full of Spitfire but….one can dream 🙂

Dan

Many thanks again Mark.

Geoff.

Geoff

Most of the surviving Spitfire movement cards ‘disappeared’ from AHB in the early/mid 1970s and before the mass Microfische copying conducted for the RAFMus.

Thankfully I had hand transcribed most of them. In the case of TB885 I already had the attached on file.

Mark

DDM,

There are no plans for it at the moment that I know of, but I will ask again tomorrow when I’m at the museum.

Does anyone have the details from 885’s Movement Card (Units & dates)? I have ‘Spit the dog’, but I’ve no great faith in the accuracy of its aircraft histories.

Many thanks Mark for the pix. Has anyone got anymore?

Geoff.

Firebird,

……..and back…. and it came on to sleet as we gained altitude towards Kenley…….and I still put the odd few miles in to keep fit.

It was always a mystery what happened to this machine. No reports in scrap yards etc. It transpired that they buried it. The third attempt to locate it, this time by the Shoreham group, was successful.

In my life Spitfires have always been at a radius. Initially, miles by bike in one day, latterly 747 infinite. 🙂

Mark

Geoff – what are the plans for the Spitfire?

Wembley to Kenley on a bicycle……:eek: 😮

And back pressumably……:eek:

How long did this Spit stay on the Kenley dump..?

The Met. Police Dog Training school at Keston, is quite close to RAF Kenley and they were allowed to use Kenley for training in the late sixties and early seventies, and during the school hols I used to go with Dad whenever he was at a Kenley Training day. Used to spend my time running around the old revetments, pillboxes, air raid shelters and around the hangers etc.

The place always had that ‘special aura’ about it………

I don’t remember the Spit being there then, so, pressume it had allready been removed by then.

…………and one of my favourites. On the fire dump at RAF Kenley circa Sept/Oct 1958. In the cockpit is my school chum, my best man and still my very good friend – Trevor Tew. This shot was taken after a report from our school CCF, of which we were not members, had reported sighting a ‘crashed’ Spitfire whilst on a ‘gliding’ visit. We didn’t believe it but we cycled all the way over from Wembley the next weekend to check it out.

Mark

On the set of ‘Reach for the Sky’ – 9 Sept 1955

With apologies to unknown photographer.