I’m afraid Graeme it’s a fact of life. This is a private collection for the owners to do with as they wish. Granted the Seafire is a rare aircraft and who knows if you offer the current owners enough money they may sell it to you and then you can do with it as you wish. However it’s only a Spitfire with a coat hanger on the back and the spars cut in 3 with hinges in them. Give me a Mustang any day 😀

I see no reason why this aircraft should be operated any differently than the rest of the collection.

I believe at one time it was owned by Norman Lees, Euan English and Victor Gauntlet.

The new canopy doesn’t do you any favours as an instructor on landing when you can’t see whats going on, hence the reason it’s now necessary to rebuild PV202.
You also can’t see a lot out of a standard Mustang rear seat on landing either so I imagine that the larger canopy on the TF51 is there for a reason.

OK Willow,

Thats the negative side what about the positive? I can think of a few big positive points, there must be more:

Sea Fury
Beafighter
Gladiator
Ki 43
Cr42
Hurricane IV
Nimrod
P51C
78th FG Vet P51D

Plus the opportunity to experience the collection as it has evolved over the years, as well as a show such as Legends and the co operation with the Friedkin Family.

I’m sure in percentage terms OFMC have sold off more aircraft ver the years:

P51D
Sea Fury x2
P40 (ok it was leased)
Spit XI (operated by them)
Statc Spit XIV
Dewotine (operated)
YAK 11 (N11SN)
Harvard IIB
Stearmen (x2)
F4U4 Corsair
Zeke
WW 1 Replicas
etc

I am all in favour of the trade of airframes as it leads to variety throughout the UK. I own a couple of classic cars, but I’m sure I won’t own them forever, one day something else may come up such as the need to have some cash, or a more interesting vehicle, or something with better history, or maybe I may be made a silly offer that I can’t refuse. I just hope that I don’t get constant grief for selling off my own property.

Now if someone like BBMF were to sell something which arguably was owned by the nation perhaps I would not be impressed. Oh wait a minuite, they did……………..

Originally posted by Hatton
Nice one snapper!

This could save Duxford a bit on the old leccy bills. Wind + Mustang on Pole = Wind Turbine.

Ashley please let the powers that be at Duxford know of my idea, i may want to patent it 🙂

😡 😡 Sense of humour failure 😡 😡

Digby,

To a certain degree I agree with you, the new members have challenged the accepted views of the previous board membership and stirred up a lot of discussion.
There is however a certain amount of history here where at times things are said in a light hearted manner which is understood by those who have been knocking around for a while. Certain postings from the newer members have made me chuckle recently and they obviously all have their own intimate knowledge of the subject area they are interested in.

Oh and Snapper, if you even so much as think of hanging a Mustang from anything again I may find the urge to send you down to look for Harrier bits :p No matter which Mustang it is they are all beautiful pieces of machinery and do not in any way waste sky.

Sounds good, what could be more interesting than the La9 though?