Full span wing now? Not clipped?

Yes full span but we have the option to go clipped when we want.

Glad you all like the new scheme and many thanks to Voy tech for supplying the original pictures to get the scheme/ markings right.

Hmmm, I think my mind is playing tricks on me. Didn’t the Spitfire that MK356 is meant to represent have a standard rudder (in the only known photograph) as opposed to the broad chord rudder?

Yes but the broad chord rudder gives us a 15 knot crosswind limit

Also, wasn’t the same aircraft paint stripped rather than painted silver?

Yes

Surely paint stripping and then a coat of satin varnish to preserve the metalwork would have been a more authentic finish??

We could of done that but as you know its another 8 yrs to its next major so it was decided the paint job would look better as she didn’t look that good in bare metal.

C 6

Anyway what colour scheme has your Spitfire got 😀

Fluffy

Hi Fluffy,
many thanks for the info. I didn’t go to Aldergrove as I had heard that the display was cancelled due to the death of Robert Dunlop at the circuit. Would this have been right or did I miss you?

Thats correct cancelled due to the death of Robert Dunlop 🙁

Looking at 2 drawings 30050 sht 86 and 36150 sht 11 with the gear down a line is drawn thru the middle of the top and bottom mainspars to the ground then another line is drawn down thru the wheel retaining nut thus giving the rake measurement. They are on the Mk1 drawing 2.68 inches and on the MkIX 5.34inches. Hope this helps as the drawings do not give angles.

As promised the times for saturday display at Portrush 10.13hrs land Aldergrove at 10.50hrs and depart at 13.30hrs.

The BBMF Mk XIX canopies are highly modified, are they not?

The original framed double glazed units being replaced with an ultra thick, by Spitfire standards, perspex with no leading edge metal work.

Mark

The only mod BBMF has carried out is to replace all the double glazed perspex units ie windscreen, canopy and rear glazing with single skin units this was done many years ago probably because at that time nobody was prepared to manufacture the original units given that the a/c are no longer pressurised. The canopy however, originally was never fitted with leading edge metalwork. So the canopy is not highly modified it is just single skin rather than double skin all the dimensions are the same, they still use the original rails and locking mechanism.

(Any plans for the Hurricane to get the same treatment?)

Not Hurricane but another a/c I spent quite a few years working on 😀 this is due to be published Sept 09