With all these belly landings cited for the two-seaters, do you think maybe there is an inherent design fault in their modified airframe? Or pure co-incidence?

Perhaps they need drop tanks with car-style air bags fitted to go off when a belly landing is imminent to cushion the blow. Just tongue in cheek of course, but would something like that be feasible for an aeroplane?

Thankfully the crash was not as bad as it could have been and Doug and his passenger were ok. But it is a huge blow to the NZ aviation scene and the airshow this weekend, as well as the planned and much publicised flight that was to take place tomorrow where 91 year old Battle of Britain pilot and former No. 485 (NZ) Squadron commander John Pattison was to be flown over Wellington in the Spitfire. Such a shame, but I’m grateful this incident didn’t occur during that flight, I think Mr Pattison has had enough Spitfire crashes for his lifetime.

The serial number of this aircraft for the spotters by the way is MH367, registration ZK-WDQ.

Yes, the taking of a passenger (Ginger Rogers’ character) was in fact something that the plane normally didn’t do and the Captain was reluctant to allow in the film, but she was a celebrity and a scandal was in the newspapers, etc so he allowed it as a one off. By the way, totally crap film. The aeroplane was the only highlight.