What plane at Strathallan?

I did a year’s parachuting there – and remember being held in a lift because a Mossie was arriving with no R/T.

We had to stooge around at 3000 ft and watch it land from above.

Those were magic days. If only I had bothered to take photographs…….

Can you imagine that lot flying! The Shackleton T.4 made its last flight to Strathallan as well, shame that one was broken up.
What caused the end of the collection and the sale of the airframes?

I remember the day Zebedee the Shackleton arrived. I had received a phone call that it was on its way – I think it was about 4.15pm – but my Dad didn’t finish work till 4.30pm so I sat by my radio avidly listening in. Well, did it not have radio failure resulting in communication being telephoned to RAF Leuchars and forwarded to the pilot and there was nothing to hear on the radio. Meanwhile my Dad was able to see her fly over on approach and arrived home shortly afterwards to tell me about the new arrival!

I believe the collection ended because of financial difficulties caused in part by high death duties on the estate of Lady Roberts and also its isolated location keeping visitor numbers low.

Can you imagine that lot flying! The Shackleton T.4 made its last flight to Strathallan as well, shame that one was broken up.
What caused the end of the collection and the sale of the airframes?

Amazing how many Strathallan airframes appeared to be flyers, or made their last flight there.
Was it kept as a live museum?

Very much so. In fact I think they tended to use the term Collection rather than museum for that reason. I think the plan was for most of the aircraft to fly eventually and that would have included the Battle, Bolingbroke, Lancaster, Short Scion and other gems. Of the ones that made their last (or close to last) flights there, the Desford, GAL Cygnet and Miles M.18 immediately spring to mind.

I am inclined to add Mark that when we both have our own Tr.IX’s we can pretty much paint them up in whatever scheme we like!

Having said that an authentic scheme for a Tr.IX is pretty difficult unless you like your Spitfire in Dutch -Indian or Irish flavour!

I was going to do mine in Egyptian markings.

The sad thing is that when Willie had that scheme applied he thought it was correct and represented MJ772’s service with 341 Squadron

Mark

Amazing how many Strathallan airframes appeared to be flyers, or made their last flight there.
Was it kept as a live museum?

Nope. The whole scheme was just ‘plane wrong’.

Mark

Maybe the scheme is totally wrong but that’s a very nice photo nevertheless. Much better than anything I managed as a youngster weilding a Boots 110 Instamatic.
Remember MJ772 passing low over the top of my dad’s car on the way to Strathallan one day – the shadow was the first we knew of its presence. Thrilling!

I am inclined to add Mark that when we both have our own Tr.IX’s we can pretty much paint them up in whatever scheme we like!

Having said that an authentic scheme for a Tr.IX is pretty difficult unless you like your Spitfire in Dutch -Indian or Irish flavour!

re;

for me, the sight of a Spit approaching, head on and the roar of the Merlin/Griffon is the thrill, so it doesn’t really matter what color it is, bit like the view in a rear view ACHTUNG SPITFEUR!

Well to be fair, all the elements are authentic. 😀

Nope. The whole scheme was just ‘plane wrong’.

Mark

a IX in green brown? Desert camo?

I gather the personnel of 341 previously served in the Western Desert. Maybe they used this scheme temporarily? Or more likely hoped to be heading to warmer climes than RAF Turnhouse!

To quote the Collection’s guide book of the time – “although no two-seat Spitfires were used by the RAF, it is painted in its original colours with its original serial no. MJ772 when it flew as a single-seater with 341 sqdn of the Free French Air Force.”

Of course allowances have to be made for the almost Technicolor finish of the postcard!

a IX in green brown? Desert camo?

I seem to remember the Mosquito went for £110,000!

Yes, heartbreaking. Just one win on the thunderball could have got you almost all of this. A clipping from the Flypast of the time.

I try not to nitpick but is the scheme on that Spit authentic?

To quote the Collection’s guide book of the time – “although no two-seat Spitfires were used by the RAF, it is painted in its original colours with its original serial no. MJ772 when it flew as a single-seater with 341 sqdn of the Free French Air Force.”

Of course allowances have to be made for the almost Technicolor finish of the postcard!

I seem to remember the Mosquito went for £110,000!

I try not to nitpick but is the scheme on that Spit authentic?

Not on a T.IX it isn’t!

re;

I try not to nitpick but is the scheme on that Spit authentic?

That’s the one, yeah.

No idea about the Cross of Lorraine markings, though.

Just had a quick look on Google and there are quite a few variations of the cross – red on a white shield; white on a blue shield or just red or white without the shield. Guess it was down to the pilot’s personal preference.

That’s the one, yeah.

No idea about the Cross of Lorraine markings, though.