Supermarine Spitfire

Bicycle Bill · Post by **Bicycle Bill** » Fri Jul 15, 2016 7:53 pm

Warbird fans can say what they like about the 'Round Sound' — the distinctive note made by a radial engine — but there's also something to be said about the roar of a Rolls-Royce Merlin (or Griffon) engine in a Supermarine 'Spitfire'.

Especially when it is times SIXTEEN!

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dales · Post by **dales** » Fri Jul 15, 2016 8:25 pm

One of my favorite WW2 films is "The Battle of Britain" (1969).

To get all these warbirds flying was an enormous undertaking.

At the time they had the 5th largest air force in the world to make the film.

NO CGI at the time and I say thank dog!

MajGenl.Meade · Post by **MajGenl.Meade** » Fri Jul 15, 2016 9:12 pm

Awesome! I was lucky enough to be around Kent (my parents lived in Dover) during some of the filming and got to see a couple of Spits and Hurris - and even better, listen to 'em! Sadly, they didn't do much filming down there - just some of the radar installation stuff if I recall.

In July '69 I was also a bit chuffed because the Concord (Trubshaw at the helm) flew right over our hostel in South Kensington escorted by 16 P1B Lightnings (English Electric) - part of Trooping the Colour that year. Video's a bit skimpy on the planes though.

rubato · Post by **rubato** » Sat Jul 16, 2016 1:08 am

Amazing that they have that many still flying. After WWII huge numbers of planes were scrapped in the U.S. Chopped up. Now every one is valuable.

The Concorde is interesting because of its eventual obsolescence. As it turns out, it was not economically viable to sell supersonic trans-oceanic flight and put up with the externalized costs. Or to put it another way, "the faster you go the less time you save" and eventually you reach a point where the cost-benefit turns against higher speed.

yrs,
rubato

Bicycle Bill · Post by **Bicycle Bill** » Sat Jul 16, 2016 1:27 am

rubato wrote:Amazing that they have that many still flying. After WWII huge numbers of planes were scrapped in the U.S. Chopped up. Now every one is valuable.
yrs,
rubato

According to Wikipedia, the 16 planes pictured are only about 25% of the flyable survivors.

There are approximately 55 Spitfires and a few Seafires in airworthy condition worldwide, although many air museums have examples on static display, for example, Chicago's Museum of Science and Industry has paired a static Spitfire with a static Ju 87 R-2/Trop. Stuka dive bomber.

The oldest surviving Spitfire is a Mark 1, serial number K9942; it is preserved at the Royal Air Force Museum Cosford in Shropshire.  This aircraft was the 155th built and first flew in April 1939.  It flew operationally with No. 72 Squadron RAF until June 1940, when it was damaged in a wheels-up landing.  After repair, it was used for training until August 1944, when it became one of several Battle of Britain aircraft veterans that were allocated to the Air Historical Branch for future museum preservation.

What may be the most originally restored Spitfire in the world is maintained in airworthy condition at Fantasy of Flight in Polk City, Florida.  Over a six-year period in the 1990s, this aircraft was slowly restored by Personal Plane Services in England using almost 90% of its original aircraft skins.  Owner Kermit Weeks insisted that the aircraft be restored to original condition as closely as possible.  Machine guns, cannon, gun sight and original working radios are all installed.

Two MK 1 Supermarine Spitfires originally restored remain in a flying condition at the Imperial War Museum Duxford, in Cambridgeshire, England.  Both restored by American billionaire Thomas Kaplan, one has been donated to the Imperial War Museum and the second was auctioned in July 2015 at Christie's, London.  Being only one of four flying MK 1 Spitfires in the world, the aircraft fetched a record £3.1 million at auction on 9 July, beating the previous record for a Spitfire of £1.7 million set in 2009.

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PMS Princess · Post by **PMS Princess** » Sat Jul 16, 2016 3:44 am

Listening to that just made my day!

Lord Jim · Post by **Lord Jim** » Sat Jul 16, 2016 12:49 pm

NO CGI at the time and I say thank dog!

No CGI in '76 either:

RayThom · Post by **RayThom** » Sat Jul 16, 2016 1:14 pm

A Bridge Too Far:
http://impdb.org/index.php?title=A_Bridge_Too_Far

Lord Jim · Post by **Lord Jim** » Sat Jul 16, 2016 1:26 pm

My all time favorite WW II flick...

I tried to find a clip of the scene where the planes fly over the little English country church on their way to Holland, and the church starts rattling with the sound of the plane engines flying overhead to point that the congregation runs out to wave them on, but I couldn't find it on youtube...

dales · Post by **dales** » Sat Jul 16, 2016 9:41 pm

That's another favorite of mine, LJ.

I have a copy in my collection!

Dammed Good Film!

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