The reason that the original 4 blade props have mostly all been replaced is because they have been destoyed in landing accidents at some point since “the film”. Cut down Dakota props are the normal fit and are an approved mod. The original Dowty 4 blader is very scarce and most are with Connie Edwards at his ranch in Texas. With spares hard to come by and the cost of overhaul unknown it is more practical and cheaper to go the Dak prop route. However you then need to obtain a suitable 3 blade spinner capable of accomodateing the centre prop dome and a matching backplate. CCF Hurricane spinners are the current fashion though those used in the film for static dressing and taxiing used something so far unknown in combination with CASA 2-111D props. G-BJZZ/G-HUNN and G-BOML both used an unknown spinner type. The “cannon nose” on the B of B film 4 blade spinners is a separate cone riveted to a standard Spitfire spinner and can therefore be easily fitted to a Spitfire as was the case on at least one of the two seaters after a nose over incident at Debden. Incidently the Dowty prop is identical to that used on the BP Balliol and Sea Balliol which also had the same engine fit. Some American Buchons have been fitted with more rounded spinners to supposedly mimic a 109F/G spinner but look unconvincing in my opinion. There should be one at Legends in a couple of weeks to do a visual comparison with.

Here’s a rare original Buchon spinner with the film cone modification clearly visible.

Funny thing, I seem to recall a large number of photographs being taken by me of three Buchons at one of the early (and much missed) “Classic Fighters” shows at DX before Legends had even come about and way after 1968 when I would have struggled with loading film let alone panning as G-BOML, G-HUNN and D-FEHD(?) beat the place up… 😀

“Press releases”… brought to you by the voices in someones head :rolleyes:

What about Jeff Hawkes old machine down at North Weald? There were recent plans to get it airworthy again I believe, though it would take a fair bit of work as it’s been looking decidedly well past its sell by date since it was in store at Rochester, and that’s before it was ferried to Weald 😮
I bet that aircraft could tell a few tales though;)

Brian’s pictures are always a pleasure to look at, even for those of us not so far away;) Like DCW’s monster sized thread, they give “us inside” a view of what’s going on on the “other” side of the fence and elsewhere on the site. I imagine for those living far away like say “Dazdaman”, they are a continual thrill and make people feel like they are almost there. It must be great for those people living abroad in say NZ, who may be contemplating a trip to the UK, to be able to see these pictures of what they might actually see at DX rather than some more “official” type view that may be months or years out of date. To see something like the move/refurbishment of “Mary Alice” occuring from your desk in another continent must be pretty thrilling. I think the users of this forum are lucky that guys like Brian and Dave bother to spend the time uploading what they feel people would like to see and making their pictures available in the first place. I work at DX every day and I am certainly not bored of their pictures. Keep it up guys! 😎

OMG that F-86 is hideous!!!!!! Hope to god it’s temporary

Don’t worry Black Knight it is only temporary and will be removed when the owner requests it. Hopefully not before the forthcoming Duxford show so that anyone attending will get the enjoyment of seeing it for themselves, though I know you don’t rate DX any more so you shouldn’t have to cringe at the sight of it in the flesh. If you are attending a Tiger Meet it is customery to arrive in a suitably adorned aeroplane as here : http://forum.scramble.nl/viewtopic.php?f=41&t=74009

However when you have handed over your $1m to Courtesy, we can expect to see G-SABR in gloss black with a Knight’s helmet on the front eh…:rolleyes:

Such a tease

I can show you only this… 😉