I guess I’m in the camp that would restore them all the way if possible. We’re talking about long term preservation here and some kid learning about a Halifax for example, would probably be more impressed walking into the RAF museum and seeing the Hali as it would have looked as it left that day it went down.

It’s representative of the men who flew it and to see it complete and looking like it did operationally better represents them I believe. And in 100 years, it isn’t going to matter if the metal used in the restoration was from 1945 or from 1999. That the basis for the restoration is the recovered aircraft is good enough for me, even if it contains new metal and parts.

Dan

Interesting how Mark12 posts the cover of a book with a Mark XII on it 🙂 Gotta love those Spit XIIs

That is a very good resource to have.

Dan
Attached a little computer Spitfire XII model building of my own

Skipper1944

I understand your view to a point. But it still seems to me that getting the photos out there for people to see is the more important thing before the vets are gone. The more discussion it promotes the more information will come out of the woodwork.

The benefit to all is the increased knowledge gained from the photos or information gleaned from them.

When I first stepped past just reading the books and actually researching, I was given some advice by an old Lanc pilot turned aviation author.

He said there were two kinds of aviation historians. Those who hoard everything for their own gain, and those who share the wealth. Having said that, he shared the wealth and opened up the doors to all kinds of information. I’ve tried to follow his lead.

I’m a firm believer in the share the wealth idea. Yes you might get burned on occassion, but I would bet the house you’ll gain a lot more then you lose by more folks getting involved.

Dan

‘Break right and climb!”

“Look out Andy!”

“We’ll have no more of that Polish chit-chat!”

Dan

While Mk Vs are nice, Spit XIIs are better 🙂

Dan

F/L Don Smith RAAF in MB882 EB-B and his wingman in MB858 EB-D April 1944.

Might be able to help a little bit. I’ve got a couple of negatives of photos showing Terry Spencer in his 350 Squadron Spit XIV, one taken the day he went down the first time. I’ll have to get copies made.

In the meantime, here are a couple of photos. The one is a group photo taken of 41 Squadron in late September 1944 after they had transitioned to the Spit XIV from the XII. Terry Spencer was a Flight Commander with 41 at the time. The cropped photo is just Spencer.

ID’s for the 41 Squadron pilots are as follows:

On the wing: F/S Pete Hale, F/S Archie Appleton

Back Row left to right: F/S Jack Bradshaw USA, P/O Peter Gibbs, F/L Jack Refshauge RAAF, F/O Johnnie Wilkensen, F/O Don Tebbit, F/O Whippy Whipp, F/L Lord Gisborough IO, F/S Pete Fleming, F/L Chas Charnock, F/L Andy Anderson RAAF, P/O Jimmy Payne, W/O Jimmy Ware RAAF

Front Row: F/L Bill Stowe RCAF, F/O Harry Cook, F/L Ross Harding, F/L Terry Spencer, S/L Dougie Benham, F/L Jack Henry RNZAF, P/O Jackie Fisher, F/O Danny Ried, P/O Ricky Gray.

I’ll see what I can do to get copies of the Spencer 350 Squadron photos.

Dan

Mark V, I might just do that one of these days. Thats a great looking Spit IX out there, among the other warbirds.

In the meantime I’ll keep hoping on that lottery ticket so I can get my own Spit 🙂

Dan