Would like to see pics of Spitfire TZ138 please

Mr. James Henry Gordon McArthur (Navigator) baled out of DH 88 Comet G-ADEF ‘Boomerang’ with Mr T. Campbell Black (Pilot) over Sudan September, 22 1935

Would like to see pics of Spitfire TZ138 please – Zombie

Ok, here we go. a nights work. Anyone know anything about the crash at the Las Vegas Airshow in May 1961 by any chance? Cheers.
.

Sorry for resurrecting the dead but….

Independent (Newspaper) – May 13, 1961, Long Beach, California

Air Crash Kills 2 SEARCHLIGHT, Nev. Las Vegas, Nevada

2 men were killed Friday (12 May) in the crash of a light plane at the Searchlight Airport. James H. McArthur, 48, and Raymond J. Horton, 34, had taken off from the field moments before”

No evidence of Air Show I am afraid…. And no Airshow mentioned in Men of Battle Of Britain by Wynn either – Just says Airport at las Vegas

What’s wrong with bare metal? 😀

The fact that it’s made out of wood? 😉

joke taken!

I usually am for “owners can do what they like” but cant deny I would like to see that Spit in a better paint scheme (mind you when I have my own it will look like its not been restored at all, scuff marks, oil stains, the lot!) I just hate gloss.

I agree with you on this. It even has a name: patina. A plane, and any vehicle for that matter, cannot have enough of it.

Tillerman.

Austere and frugal…all over silver with post WWII small ‘D’ roundels and no codes? 😉

Mark

No – thats a Trojan scheme (on the grounds its a three wheeler 😉 )

TT

I have not heard what the plans are for paint.

To me the Spartan scheme would look good and make alot of sense, but who knows at this point.

Last good info I had was he was down to neededing some fittings and brackets to allow final assembly.

I do appreciate SADSACK’s comments, far too many aircraft today are over restored and do not make an accurate presentation of the type.

While I love beautiful aircraft I do love working birds even more.

Tom H

I assume its ready for a Spartan scheme?

TT

Austere and frugal…all over silver with post WWII small ‘D’ roundels and no codes? 😉

Mark

I assume its ready for a Spartan scheme?

TT

re

joke taken!

I usually am for “owners can do what they like” but cant deny I would like to see that Spit in a better paint scheme (mind you when I have my own it will look like its not been restored at all, scuff marks, oil stains, the lot!) I just hate gloss.

What’s wrong with bare metal? 😀

re

I hope the mossie geta a nicer paint scheme

And if you scroll down about 2/3 of the page you can read more about him flying with Tom Campbell Black! http://www.tomcampbellblack.150m.com/

T J

The City of Edmonton Spitfire…Crossroads of the world.

Someday that airplane needs to come home to us, don’t know if it will every happen but I can dream.

As far as viewing, my information is second hand so I can’t vouch for it’s accuracy, I understand Mr. Ens while a nice guy doen’t offer public viewing of his aircraft.

The Mossie is the sister to our Mossie, both are post war production built by Airspeed. From what I have heard Mr. Ens restoration is beautifiul and nearing completion.

The hangar our Museum is in was WEE flight in the 1940’s so that Spit has been on our radar for a long time…as I said we can dream.

Hope that helps a little

Tom H

Neil, Obtunded

Can you tell me if the Spitfire and Mossie are open for viewing? I live just west of Vancouver and would love to pay a visit.

Cheers,

Todd

Also note the Mk XXXV Mosquito under restoration.

tz-138 in vancouver

Here’s a more recent shot of tz138 in it’s current home of Vancouver. Mr. Jen’s doesn’t fly here due to high insurance costs here in Canada.
Photo credit to Brian Rempel.

Found on www.militaryairshows.net – sadly, no photographer credit on the site 🙁

Thanks Neil, rather nice to see some early shots, especially with skis! Anyone got any more recent ones please? my appetite is whetted!!!

This is Bob Gen’s Spit, isn’t it? According to A-monthly, it hasn’t been flown for the past three years, although it is regularly ground-run and taxied.

I think there are a couple of pics from “The Spitfire Story” of the aeroplane with skis on – one of them is in that album already.

Ok, here we go. a nights work. Anyone know anything about the crash at the Las Vegas Airshow in May 1961 by any chance? Cheers.

37925 Flight Lieutenant James Henry Gordon ‘Butch’ MacArthur DFC

Born in Tynemouth on 12th February 1913, MacArthur became a civil pilot in the 1930’s, at one time holding the London to Baghdad speed record. He took an RAF Short Service Commission in 1936, being Commissioned as an Acting Pilot Officer on the 6th, and on 18th July was posted to No.9 Flying Training School at Thornaby where he became a full Pilot Officer on 11th October. He then joined the Station Flight at Aldergrove on 14th January 1937 and was promoted Flying Officer on 11th May. On 1st October 1938 he was posted to the Experimental Section, Royal Aircraft Establishment at Farnborough as a test pilot. MacArthur was posted to 238 Squadron at Middle Wallop as a Flight Commander in June 1940, having become a Flight Lieutenant on 11th May, before joining 609 at Middle Wallop as B Flight Commander on 1st August 1940 under S/Ldr Darley. On 8th August whilst flying Spitfire R6977 he Destroyed two Ju.87’s off the Isle of Wight at 12:30hrs, and Destroyed a Bf.110 on the 11th, again in R6977, 15 miles south south east of Swanage at 10:15hrs. Flying R6977 again he claimed a Bf.110 probably Destroyed on the 12th and Claimed a Bf.109 Damaged on the 13th August flying R6977. On 15th August he Destroyed two Bf.110’s in R6769, one northwest of Southampton and the other 15 miles south south west of this. He claimed another Bf.110 Destroyed on the 25th in X4165 at 17:20hrs in the Warmwell / Poole area and on 7th September he Destroyed a Do.17Z in L1008, Damaging a Do.215 just over a week later on the 15th in R6979 during an action in which he suffered an oxygen failure at 25,000ft. Attacked by Bf.109’s he lost consciousness and came to just in time to pull out of a high-speed dive at a low altitude. The damage to his ears was to require future hospital treatment, but on the 16th he flew Spitfire R6922 to Hamble for repair. The Air Speed Indicator began to malfunction so he decided to follow another aircraft down onto the runway, much to the chagrin of the pilot of the other aircraft who then went around for another circuit. McArthur followed him for a few more circuits until he finally landed, forgetting to lower his undercarriage in the process and writing off the aircraft. ‘I didn’t like the thing anyway’ he is recorded as saying. Following medical tests Butch handed over command of B Flight to Flight Lieutenant Dundas, after which he was not allowed to fly above 5,000 feet and in consequence was not able to return to operations, although on 25th September flying X4165 he had Destroyed another Bf.110 (reported as a Jaguar) over Bournemouth. MacArthur was awarded the DFC on 22nd October 1940, announced on the 9th in Squadron Routine Orders, and was portrayed by Captain Cuthbert Orde in November. Subsequently employed on what he called ‘stooge jobs’, he was promoted to the rank of Squadron Leader on 1st September 1941, being promoted to Wing Commander on 1st January 1944. Released from the RAF in 1947 he joined the Royal Canadian Air Force in Edmonton, Alberta in 1948 and was posted to the Winter Experimental Establishment, testing RAF and Royal Navy aircraft. In 1949 he turned his hand to air racing and was granted leave for the races, acquiring Spitfire MkXIVe TZ138 on 4th August 4th, 1949 in partnership with F/Lt Ken Brown DFC, who had been a Flight Sergeant with 617 Squadron on the Dams raid. Purchasing the Spitfire for $1250, registering it as CF-GMZ on 25th August. Sponsored by Pat Reid of Imperial Oil, who told Brown ‘you have a sure winner on your hands’, and granted a Class F racing certificate of serviceability by the Department of Transport, Butch flew from Edmonton via Toronto and raced in the Tinnerman Air Races at Cleveland, Ohio as number 80, finishing in third place in the Thompson Trophy on 4th September 1949 and receiving a substantial prize for his efforts. MacArthur left the airfield the following morning at 06:00hrs with the winnings and without filing a flight plan or informing F/Lt Brown, later selling the aircraft for $1000 to apparently pay for race debts despite the sponsorship. He was transferred shortly afterwards and served in Canada, the United States and Japan and being awarded the United Nations Korea Medal and the Canadian Forces Decoration. He was badly injured in an accident involving two cars in 1957, ending up in a hospital in Montreal and leaving the airforce soon afterwards, moving to Mexico. He married and divorced after a few years but remained in Mexico and is reputed to have joined the Mexican Air Force. Wing Commander ‘Butch’ MacArthur was killed in a flying accident at the Las Vegas Airshow in May 1961 at the age of 48 and was buried with full military honours through the help of the Vancouver Legion. His medals were sold at Sothebys in 1986.

Oh Mr Twelve you are magnIFICENT!!!!!!!!!!!! The a/c AND the man, didn’t even think of asking for that. He’s clearly taller than some pylon racers too…

Must confess i don’t possess any aviation mags anymore. I gave all my old ones to Yak11fan a couple of years back when I had a clear out.