G-INFO shows it as “permanently withdrawn from use” and de-registered on 5/6/1996 when it was owned by Aces High at North Weald. Not much help but it does tie in with your sighting at Aces High.

Look at post 264 on this thread ( two good photos )

http://forum.keypublishing.com/showthread.php?34240-Memphis-Belle-Filming-1989/page8

That’s too bad.

Even as a museum exhibit it would be appreciated. At the very least a cockpit.

We should not be scrapping rare 50 year old airframes.

It’s been lovingly dismantled with a disc-cutter. :apologetic: What a shame….

There is already a two-tier pricing structure in place for Spitfires. Just look at Platinum Fighter Sales’ website. They are offering an older restoration of a Mk IX Spitfire, done 25 years ago and with some 350 hours on both engine and airframe since restoration, for $3.4m. Around $2.2m will get you a recently-restored Mk XVIII, with less than 5 years and 50 hours since restoration.

Evidently there is even ‘Spitfire snobbery’ within the Spitfire community.

Snobbery ? Some marks are perceived as more desirable than other for reasons such as historical significance or handling qualities, and to make that distinction does not merit disdain , disapproval or censure.

Nobody is being deceived by airframes on offer and their individual history. All information is ‘out there’ , what is what and where it came from, and nobody will spend seven figure sums and not know what it is they are buying into.

We seem to harbour a core of individuals who almost wish the ‘Spitfire restoration industry’ would shut down, pack up and disappear. Quite odd.

Hi Libor, and welcome!

Love the website, really stylish with a great retro-feel.

We had an Aero 145 flying here, but it had a rather bad accident and may not fly again. I am sure that as enthusiasts rather than a business, you will be accommodated on this forum, though it has to be said, money is scarce on the airshow scene, whether you have a Vulcan or a Tiger Moth.

Anyway, best of luck, and if you can get to the UK you will be made very welcome.

I believe it is a buyer’s market for many types, especially old twins ( not strictly historic ) which guzzle fuel, cost a fortune in engine/prop overhaul and do very little that a modern turbo prop single cant. Even though they look cheap, they will soon have a resale value of zero, good only for salvage and re-cycling.

I predict that Tiger Moth prices too will collapse in the not -too -distant future. Most are owned and operated by , ahem, ‘senior pilots’, they are demanding of old-style piloting and engineering skills, are expensive to insure due to a too-high accident rate, and have limited appeal to a younger breed of pilot ( and there are not many of those either ) . There will be more than a few coming to market at £50-60 K with a dearth of takers to be found. Actual selling prices can only go one way……

Can often be better witnesses as they do not come with preconcepted knowledge that can cloud what they are actually seeing

Two summers ago I watched the Skyraider ram the P51 out of the sky at DX, saw the debris falling, and followed the path of the aircraft until both reached the ground, but had you asked me 5 minutes later exactly what I had seen, I was not really sure, and in struggling to come up with an account, would have added details which would subsequently have been found to be wrong.

The Mall Galleries, near Admiralty Arch, London SW1

22nd – 28th July 2013

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