Ah,Elly Protheroe was the woman I was thinking of flying the B25.I was under the impression she flew the DOB AF’s B25 rather than Grumpy,but my grey matter isn’t as reliable as it used to be!

I can’t remember her name,but I’m certain there was a female Chief Pilot on the Duke of Brabant B25 in the mid-90’s.

Many happy returns mate 🙂

BBMF’s PM631 was painted up in the markings of a D-Day Mk.XIV in the 1980’s. Go down to the Mk.XIX section on this page and you’ll find a piccy of her.

http://www.spitfiresociety.demon.co.uk/whatmark.htm

Hope this helps 🙂

Speaking of which,has a date been set for when Grumpy’s due to cross ‘the pond’? She had her US civil reggie slapped on at the time of Legends last year and it seemed her export was imminent then,but I’ve not heard anything since.

As far as I’m aware she’s not a composite airframe and I’d be surprised if she’s been downgraded in BAPC’s listings-‘277 is one of only 4 Swifts in existance. The airframe is owned by a private individual rather than the museum,so perhaps there is some sort of ownership issue,it’s the only reason I can think of.
Which mag did you read the story in BC?

Lovely pics Hash,that third shot in particular. I don’t mean to be an unappreciative rivet-counting g*t,but should she have a red spinner? IIRC,the spinners on Irish Spits were the same green as the rest of the airframe.Have they borrowed the spinner off TD248 for the flight tests?

Flying with one engine nacelle removed has been done before. One of the first Lockheed Constellations supplied to TWA had an ‘argument’ with a truck at New York airport which caused damage to the No.1 engine nacelle. It was decided to remove the nacelle and fair it over,and the aircraft was then flown in this peculiar 3-engine configuration all the way across the US back to Burbank,California for the repairs!