Fake!

Look at the damage behind the cockpit, not least the virtual loss of the fin and rudder and the plane was landed like this by an injured pilot who survived combat only to die after crash landing ??? – No chance. Furthermore the lack of fin and rudder would have rendered the machine incapable of controlled flight, least of all a survivable landing. Control runs would undoubtedly have been destroyed or at the very least badly affected. From what i know about the 109, they needed all of their minimal fin and rudder especially on take off and landing, so a controlled descent without is wholly improbable. Happy to be proved wrong if this is a genuine pic.

So far as i am aware this is a new project built from scratch. Google “Percival Mew Gull” pictures will show a cockpit with said spade grip. Proctors generally had a spade on the left with stick to the right, or a single spade for the pilot only.

Neville Shute

Indeed it was a Proctor V that he flew to Australia. This would of course been fitted with standard cable actuated drum brakes. These are ok providing they are well adjusted but are prone to brake fade. My father used to comment when operating GTC that braking was her only real vice special attention was required on a cross wind landing which ideally were to be avoided where possible. Now days of course we have disc brakes, these transform braking action compared with drums, the Vega Gull that visited us at Oakley recently has this mod. We are looking into the same conversion for both the Mk V and Mk 3, ok not original specification, but all neatly hidden away inside the spats and a mod that i can see us being thankful for as we operate the Proctors in years to come. I have a good picture of the man himself complete with Trilby just like Mr Percival, and leaning against the wing.
If i can locate it i will post.

Superb!

Can’t really add anything to what has already been said. A superb effort by all involved and a national treasure for the Canadians in remembrance of all her sons who flew and died in this type, not forgetting their ground crews. The expression on the elderly gentlemens face as he stands along side a main wheel leaning on it for support says it all!

Camera?

I can only agree with other comments, these are some of the best pictures i have seen posted. Please share your secret with the forum, what type of camera do you use, and are you an experienced photographer with tips you can share. These are just great – all credit to you and thanks for posting.

Great She’s Staying in the UK

I agree with Rivet, even if brand new Spitfires were built today like the FW 190’s in Germany i would still travel miles to see one fly. Agreed that an original example (quote) has provenance and history that no new build can begin to match, its a Spitfire none the less and no less worthy then its original sisters. Would you expect to see new builds parked well away from originals at Legends simply because they are new, i think not. Correct me if i am wrong but i believe the late Tommy Sopwith was so impressed with a new build Sopwith type back in the 80’s so close was it to his originals, that he personally sanctioned the next production number from the last built, 70 odd years before. What would R.J think about the Spitfire scene were he alive today – i wonder!!

Other Percival Factories

Hills and Sons of Trafford Park Manchester were sub contracted to build Proctors 1, 2 3 and 4 variants, though not sure if this was all of them or a percentage only. These were transported by road to Barton for flight testing and onward despatch to their respective service units. The main Luton factory built Mosquitos during the war, with the civil Mk 5 Proctor built there until around 1947, followed by the Prentice and Prince series of aircraft.