T9 & Hind Helicopter at Duxford – 05Mar11

Why would they go to all the trouble of having a working chin turret?

Did they tell you why it was being moved?

Apparently it’s having quite a bit of restoration work, new paint and a working chin turret too.

Herby

There is a bit of confusion here between the terms ‘serial’ and ‘registration’. This airframe carried ‘PV202’ while in military service but that is technically a military registration, not a serial number.

In CAA terms Serial Number is Construction Number. ie an identity that was given by the manufacturer and remains as the airframe’s identity no matter what external markings are used. In this case as clearly given by Archer the Spitfire has an exemption to not display its UK Registration G-CCCA. The recording of the markings used are so that it can be legally identified and RAF agreement has to be sought. So if for example you see a silver JP flying very low and your read its external markings as “XN???” or a code of “S-O” then the CAA can identify which JP it was.
“The CAA Aircraft Registration section policy is only to exempt aircraft which display historically accurate military liveries and marks.”
See also CAP523 regarding the sizes and style of UK Registration marks.
My memory suggests that at some point in time just like cars an aircraft’s colour scheme was recorded but I may be mistaken.

I visited Duxford the other day and asked a member of staff about the Hind and they said that due to the lack of space in the hangar and the impending arrival of the B17 from the AAM it was being made “smaller” to save space.

Herby

Did they tell you why it was being moved?

Perhaps the poor B17’s finally got sick of the C47 weeing oil on it, as its been doing since gawd knows when… 😀

and the impending arrival of the B17 from the AAM it was being made “smaller” to save space.

Herby

Which begs another question why is the AAM B17 being moved??

[B]and the impending arrival of the B17 from the AAM

Herby

Out of interest, why?

Nevermind the Spitfires…. where’s the Hind going?

I visited Duxford the other day and asked a member of staff about the Hind and they said that due to the lack of space in the hangar and the impending arrival of the B17 from the AAM it was being made “smaller” to save space.

Herby

Nevermind the Spitfires…. where’s the Hind going?

Spitfire VIII MV154 carried the serial MT928 while flying in the UK – and, I believe, still does in Germany…

Merlin70: it’s the bit above the X4474 that’s relevant:
“Display of Registration Mark Exemption Details:”

The aircraft has an exemption that enables it to NOT display its civil registration. Now the section below that line describes the details of the colourscheme it is carrying to enable some form of identification. It doesn’t mean that this is a new serial. Actually the serial number of this airframe is listed as ‘CBAF 9590’ under “Aircraft Details”.

There is a bit of confusion here between the terms ‘serial’ and ‘registration’. This airframe carried ‘PV202’ while in military service but that is technically a military registration, not a serial number.

If there is no need to display some form of registration, civilian or military, do the sqn codes then count as the id?

G-info shows that the civilian id remains as G-CCCA but the serial is now X4474. Neither PV202 or IAC161 get a mention, Does this mean that an airframe can be given any serial regardless of whether it has an historic right to it?

I still think it would have looked nice as AI-E myself or maybe it did…;)

I for one would like to see that – but thats ‘red tape’ for you :rolleyes:

I still think it would have looked nice as AI-E myself or maybe it did…;)

That would go nicely (and most appropriately) with the Buchon… 😉

Nope, due to “red tape” it became a generic representation of a DX 19 Sqn Spitfire that appears in lots of the usual books, but obviously not the fabled book as that was a Mk1 not a Tr9. I still think it would have looked nice as AI-E myself or maybe it did…;)

Or any stencils – I expect Roobarb is gearing up for an all out assault on it 😉

Great pics, as always. 🙂

Interesting also that no serial appears to be displayed on the port side?

Or on the starboard side. 😉

No Serial?

Fantastic detail in the 3rd shot.

Interesting also that no serial appears to be displayed on the port side?

I like those and you saw a Spit fly on it’s Birthday – perfect!:)