DC Page,
According to my father in law (staying here just now) it was further up the road – on the gate at the Western Avenue – this was the gate that was used VIP flights/visits.

He seems to recall it was originally at the gate on the W End Road. It was moved round to the Western Avenue later.

Now things get a little complicated … before TE476 became the Northolt gate guardian there was another Spitfire at Northolt – PK624!

That one did move from one gate to the other – but ended up where TE476 was eventually displayed. It was at Northolt between 1963 and 1970. Here it is in a photo taken by the late Stuart Howe in October 1969.

Would anyone more knowledgeable than me care to comment on the justifiability of this statement?

I suspect it is a subtle reference to the activities of Mr Melton.

As I said in my first post I think the Spit was on a pole because I remember looking up at it as we went by. I seem to recall it being surrounded by trees and hedges. Bob, your wife may have the best perspective having lived at Northholt, can you tell me where the Spit was located? Was it at the southeast corner of the airfield where the Polish memorial is now, or was it further up the road along the A40?

Hi Dave

The Northolt Spitfire was parked on its undercarriage – not on a pylon – and was located outside the low “departure lounge” building about half way along the A40, certainly not near the War Memorial. It was on a grassy area within the boundary fence and facing the road – at least that’s where it was in 1973 when I flew from Northolt to Little Rissington in a Wessex – nasty smelly beast!

Glad to see your mystery has been solved. 🙂

Yes I see that, both pole and plinth mentioned, but using 1976 logic…

Tourist, in London, hire car, look at map, A40, to Oxford, Western Avenue, main dual carriageway, you will see the Northolt Spitfire.

Tootling around Uxbridge you just might just spot the Uxbridge Spitfire, but keep your eye on the road. 🙂

Take and look at Google earth.

Mark

Well it depends on your starting point doesn’t it? They might have driven past RAF Uxbridge as they headed North to pick up the A40 and I didn’t have any problem spotting it from MY car when I took that photo! 🙂

Mystery Spitfire

Depending on the route taken there are four possible candidates:

PM651 – RAF Benson (parked)
RW382 – RAF Uxbridge (pylon)
TE356 – RAF Little Rissington (pylon – but moved to Cranwell on 20/4/1976)
TE473 – RAF Northolt (parked)

I would say the most likely of the four would have been RW382 which would have been on the right hand side of the road when driving from London to Oxford in 1976.

Having been restored to fly and then written off it has now been re-registered as G-PBIX and is being rebuilt to flying condition once more.

(SL574 was at Bentley Priory at that time but would not have been visible from a passing car)

Dive info can be quite a bit out of date.

In this case the publication it came from is almost 10 years old and it refers to a report made in 1956!.

Plotted on 1652, 12/08/98.
Charted as 12.7m wreck.
Details requested from H.O.

Wreck Files.
H7283/56 12/12/56
Single seater low wing monoplane causing obstruction to trawl.
Stands 8 to 9 feet above sea floor in general depth 52 feet.
Identified by divers removing trawl which had fouled on the wreck.
Fix Rottingdean Windmill/Portobella outfall Beacon 33 degs 15 mins, Portobella outfall Beacon/Newhaven W Breakwater Light 109 degs 23 min ( British Sub-Aqua Club HN 30/11/56).

03/04/78 Theoretical Decca RED 2A 5.61, GREEN A 30.27, PURPLE H 77.12 (SW Brit)/RED B 2.22, GREEN 2A 36.37, PURPLE B 78.89 (Eng).

D Sussex 205 (Rev 1989)
This single seated fighter is at 50 46 51; 00 01 16. First discovered when hit by trawl, the plane rises some 3m above the sea bed and was identified by divers called in by fishermen to remove the snagged netting. The Spitfire is very close to the old sewer outlet and is still reasonably intact.

Regards
Ross

Thanks for that Ross – I wonder if there’s anything left … and was it really a Spitfire … everyone’s favourite “single-seater” !

Please excuse my total lack of knowledge of 1930’s aircraft recognition, is this a Miles Hawk ???? If not What is it ?????? please. Keith.

Its a Miles M.14A Magister – the ultimate Miles Hawk development.

I’ve seen a photo of the Venture somewhere but can’t for the life of me remember where! It’s not the project referred to in Post #2.