Hi all, I am surprised there are no comments on the paint job on P9374 as seen in the latest issue of flypast. Thought someone may have mentioned it. Looks good.

Steve.:)

Perhaps its because most of us are still waiting for the postman to bring our copies of Flypast;)

That camo on the nose cone is rather splotchy,perhaps it is a 2nd hand item from another a/c. Judging from the background this pic was taken in very hot weather. That shield,if not a pilots personal coat of arms might perhaps be connected to a New Zealand or South African Squadron………

The term ‘Spitfire data plate special’ is thrown around pretty freely these days but what do the people, who use the term, really believe they are describing?
Spitfires in service were subject to multiple changes of components due to accidents, flying battle damage and development upgrades. It follows that a Spitfire during its service life could end up with a different prop/engine/bearer/cowlings/wings/tail unit/windscreen than those it was originally built with. So any a provenance links back to an RAF/RN serial can only be from the fuselage structure, that is from frame 5 firewall to the tail unit break at frame 19.

I have nothing but the greatest respect for the benefactors who have commissioned at some financial risk the rebuild of aircraft in the latter two categories. This is no route to cheap Spitfire ownership. To watch the two principal UK engineering facilities dissect these donors down to the very last rivet, to treat and repair, rather than replace, the smallest of part for inclusion, is truly heart warming.

Having just seen images of a fully painted and coded 1940’s Mk I fuselage emerging from the paint shop last week to which will be married an abundance of correct and period ‘fixtures and fittings’, fabric covered ailerons, hand pump undercarriage and the like, I personally cannot wait. This to me will better represent a BoF/BoB Spitfire than the Mk I hanging in Lambeth.

If you are in the rebuild to fly brigade you will each draw your own personal line on that diminishing fuselage with regard to the validity of carrying the RAF/RN serial. If you belong to the archeological camp where every mortal remnant and remain that comes out of the ground has to be faithfully recorded, washed …and I suspect in the main stored privately I respect your view, but feel there is sufficient supply for both groups to work in harmony. A half a dozen Spitfires out of how many buried or dug out of the ground?

‘Data plate Specials’ rebuilt with honesty, integrity and transparency have my vote.
Mark

And my vote too:) Great reasoning by Mark 12
Anyone that enables genuine WW2 parts scattered around the world and new sheet metal & rivits to come together to give us more Spitfires in the air built to the full Supermarine RAF specs (not Jaguar powered look alikes) deserves respect and encouragement. Hopefully they will not send non airworthy components to the smelter, but pass them on to non flying restorations,my sole concern about what is lost in a flying rebuild …..and as to fatal crash rebuilds, the new plane becomes a living memorial to the pilots who gave their lives for the joy of flying warbirds,and what better memorial could any pilot wish for(beyond children and grandchildren!)

Great thread,fascinating pix.interesting to discover that MH731 lingered for 12 years and narrowly missed out on entering the 1960s

And R5868 had the windows until its rebuilding in July1944. That was of course a case of an aircraft being completely “gone through” and updated – it seems likely that the only surviving assembly of the original aircraft is the nose section.

Does this mean that the R5868 we have at Hendon today is the original nose with most of the rest of the plane being new built summer of 1944 construction?

talk about “coals to Newcastle”
I do wholeheartedly agree though there is a distinct (and lamentable) lack of English-language printed material on the French Aviation industry.

Roger Smith.

Its no surprise, the French aviation industry has always been characterised by a singular lack of clientele who speak English as a first language:D

Thankyou Flightpath for the info on Milo:) I know next time I am out that way I will buy some ( last found Milo in Cyprus in 1994!).

There was an airconditioned Robinsons department store in Kuala Lumper built with at least 1 ,perhaps more grand staircases to walk up and down – I remember the long walk to the toy department to choose new Matchbox toys on a good few occasions:)