I understand there will be an update from our webmaster early next week. There has been little to photograph as we have had a huge polythene tent over the Stbd wing to enable it to be painted. This was completed yesterday and the tent is now moving to the Port wing. Tent Spotters please note other tents may soon be appearing at DX and I am reliably informed that our resident paparazzi have already started Tentwatch ’17…
Much progress has been going on, but to the casual observer it just looks like we’ve put a few decals on with the big tweezers and managed to get those modeldecal code letters on straight with the corner of a handkerchief. The team has been hard at it as has the paint team. When she emerges you will all see a fantastic and authentic paint-scheme, but that is simply a nice jacket covering up the real and very challenging work that has been undertaken by the lads involved. That said, if they did a fantastic job (which they have) and I presented a rubbish paint scheme their work would be overlooked. You can have a fancy looking cake with great icing, but if the ingredients for the cake haven’t been properly mixed and baked then the result is going to be disappointing. We have great bakers and the guys that do the icing are pretty good too. Ultimately my job is to just scatter some sprinkles on it and make it look fancy!

Roobarb

Any particular reason why the roundels are in post 1947 Bright Blue and Bright Red, (also known as Roundel Blue and Roundel or Post Office/Cherry Red) rather than the more dull wartime shades? Also intrigued by the hard edge camouflage that’s been adopted.

Roobarb

It’s actually a clearer view now as we have deliberately moved as much of the scaffolding out of the way as we can, to make it better for everyone to see her this bank holiday weekend.

It’s a great shame. As a Mark One it has very little relevance in the states unless it was with Eagle Squadron (which it wasn’t) It was never flown by an American, no offence intended of course.
The fact we may never see it in the skies above Britain again is tragic. Which plane will we lose next I wonder?

It was disposed of at an auction that was open to all interested parties from across the world. The winning bidder is located in the USA. Any UK bidder with the resources could have outbid the offer but they didn’t. Tigers weren’t “traditionally” based in the UK or of any relevance to our native wildlife scene, but you can find plenty of them in the respective Zoos in this country. Where’s the difference? As someone who has been personally involved with this aeroplane at Duxford I can tell you that both myself and the guys at Historic Flying and ARC are all very sad to see her finally depart. Remember it was sold nearly two years ago and we were actually very generously given an extra season of operations last year. Now the owner wants it where they are. Two factors should be remembered with this Spitfire. Firstly without the drive, finance and enthusiasm of Tom Kaplin and the late Simon Marsh it is unlikely either P9374 or N3200 would ever have been restored to fly. Secondly, Tom Kaplin very generously gave all the sale money to charity, a truly remarkable gesture. Be thankful that there are individuals out there that have the passion and means to indulge in such an expensive undertaking as restoring an old second World War fighter and then allowing such a priceless artifact to be flown and displayed for the delight of others.

He certainly was about two years ago when I showed him around ARC and HFL. Very pleasant and interesting guy and very tall! He has some great recollections of Spitfire ownership in the 1960’s and his first solo in MH434 from Stansted of all places.

Not to worry. That 51 suddenly became a veteran with proven history anyway. If ever so fragile… :rolleyes:

T J

Ah yes, I remember it being that rare but known of variant, the “i-stang identity shuffle”… 😉

I seem to remember a certain “genuine proven original identity” P51D that then had a “twin brother” in the States – until a court judgement decided otherwise…
But lets not shed a tear over that at this twilight hour of the evening’, it was only a Mustang after all. :rolleyes:

It’s been Hush-kitted!