Yet another Spitfire flies – PL344

Vic Flintham and Andrew Thomas in their splendid work ‘Combat Codes’ devout a whole chapter to known personal code markings on British and Commonwealth military aircraft since 1938 and list an estimated 2000 examples.

Mark

Re the BBMF and serials. I thought I read some time ago that as they were still RAF aircraft they had to keep the genuine serial. Or did I make that up?
Personally I prefer to see the correct serial retained, whatever scheme the aircraft is finished in.

..and AB910 when in Vickers hands during the 1950/60’s carried the 92 Squadron code QJ-J & J-QJ.

Any connection to the principal pilot Jeffrey Quill, purely coincidental. 🙂

Mark

Personal Codes

Wouldn’t CR-S currently on TD248 at Duxford be for AVM Clifford Spink, its principal pilot?

…and the earliest of the Warbird era Spitfires, circa 1972, AC-S on MH434 for the then owner Sir Adrian Swire.

Mark

How come our transatlantic cousins always have to have the initials on their otherwise authentically finished warbirds:rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes:.

What inaccurate xenophobic crap. No.1 ‘my Spitfire – my initials’ would have been Mr ‘DA’ Doug Arnold himself; a ‘Great Briton’ in many directions. I don’t know the complete count of Spitfires that bore his ego lettering, but certainly ahead of anyone else, approaching double figures, and I suspect probably ahead of any RAF Wing Commanders who were entitled by achievement in battle rather than with the chequebook. Given that in his later years Doug couldn’t fit inside a Spitfire the ego-trip is doubly ironic.

There’s at least one British based Spitfire bearing a Briton’s personal codes at the moment.

As Roobarb said, it’s the owner’s requirement. At least Tom Blair’s able to legitimately occupy the seat he’s put his name around, unlike me, and I suspect you, Miggers.

Kermit Weeks was kind enough to arrange for his Piper L4 to have my initials painted on it; pity he left the middle one out. (In fact just a coincidence – ‘JK’ comes up quite often – the probability’s high for certain reasons…) All you’ve got to do is keep looking, most combinations come up eventually, and are as popular in the UK as anywhere else.

Unimpressed.

Whilst searching the web the other yesterday, I came across the original Airworthiness Approval Note (AAN) for PL344:

Strange that its dated 15 September 2000 but with Mr R E Melton as applicant :confused:

I would be interested to see a picture of her as recovered from the Antony Fokker school.

David,

I came across an archived thread from here (2003 I think) yesterday, and I seem to recall Mark12 posted some pictures of PL344 at the Antony Fokker school, although they didn’tshow up in the archived thread.

I’m sure he would be kind enough to post them again.

EDIT: Just checked and got that wrong – it was pictures of BR601! 😮

I did also find this thread & pictures of the first flight of PL344 posted by Mark V though:

http://forum.keypublishing.co.uk/showthread.php?t=38661&highlight=PL344

Cheers

Paul

I would be interested to see a picture of her as recovered from the Antony Fokker school.

Whilst searching the web the other yesterday, I came across the original Airworthiness Approval Note (AAN) for PL344:

http://www.caa.co.uk/aandocs/22416/22416020000.pdf

Having noted MKV’s comments on the original restoration not being ‘stock’, it’s interesting to see the list of mods incorportated in the rebuild, especially those of Dick Melton.

I’ve also looked up the AAN’s for a number of other Spitfires & other Warbirds (just type in the G-Reg in the search box), and again, it’s interesting to see the various mods/changes that have been incorporated during the rebuild or during overhaul & maintenance.

Cheers

Paul

I can recall a few pics of wartime or just post war RAf fighters with the users initials displayed as codes so its not that odd.
As a QI fact I have noticed a few pics of Tucanos now using full squadron codes !

Greaet to see another restoration fly.

Very nice Roobarb JR & Co… it certainly looks better than it did before you started.

It does – having the Medium Sea Grey on the bottom and the Ocean Grey on the top helps too 😉

Very nice Roobarb JR & Co… it certainly looks better than it did before you started.

All the best

Chris

BTW: Are they required to show their correct serial in the UK or can that be fictitious too?

No – the serial can relate to the scheme portrayed – not the airframe, although some owners (inc BBMF) prefer to retain the correct airframe serial. If the G-reg is not to be displayed consent from the CAA is required.

How come our transatlantic cousins always have to have the initials on their otherwise authentically finished warbirds:rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes:.
Miggers:D

It would be mighty tempting to do it. I’d consider it…:D

But at the end of the day, is it any worse than painting Spitfire AB 1234 as an aces aircraft when he never flew that plane?
Or PA 474 being painted to honor other aircraft?
How anorak do you want to get?:diablo:

In the end, just be happy someone is willing to pay the bills to fly the darn thing.

BTW: Are they required to show their correct serial in the UK or can that be fictitious too?

BTW II: And remember, in the states, people don’t spend thousands of dollars to purchase a vanity license plate…:diablo:

As Tom Blair says … his initials are on the side because ” the check cleared ” !!

Based on owners requirements, ie his initials and using wartime pattern specs, correct paint chips and markings correct to wartime AP. I could have put the wartime codes on as per the original photograph but that is not what was wanted. The TL-B codes are to correct size, layout and colour for the 1944 time period. It is therefore as authentic as can be within the owners requirements.

How come our transatlantic cousins always have to have the initials on their otherwise authentically finished warbirds:rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes:.

I suppose it’s like the trend for having a “private”plate on your car,but it’s better than pretending that “F986 SMI” stands for Fred Smith.

Oh well,to each his own I suppose.

Having said that it looks superb,so a big “well done” to the ARCo boys and thanks to HFL for the use of their wing jigs.

I’m looking forward to the BBMF’s Spit returning to the fold once you chaps have worked your magic on her.
She’ll no doubt look fantastic.

Miggers:D

When I visited the TU at Delft some ten years ago there were a lot of WWII vintage aircraft bits all over the place. A complete Spitfire Mainspar was also present and as PL344 also originated from there wouldn’t be surprised it that was one of her mainspars.

Cheers
Cees

So far as I can tell, all Spitfire 26s currently flying in the UK are in late war-style camouflage and markings.

Was it the Silence Twister?

No . was looking more spit than that , but i do see how it could be mistaken. this had camo on the underside what can only be described as the snow or artic camo look to it.

should have my camera at hand more often.
it was not very high 600ft .

Nice to see another Spit Graceing the skys again.

Question thou , yesterday as i got into my car . a aircraft that looked very much like a spit over fly my house very low , it looked like a spit but did not sound like one. the paint scheme was top half a white color and the underside like a snow camo color.

No i was sober and even my wife said ,was that a spitfire.?
is there a replica matching this description ? .very puzzled it came from Coventry way heading Liecester way.

Was it the Silence Twister?