Guy Martin helps restore a Spitfire -ch4 12Oct
Discussion
[quote=Simpo Two]A nice programme. But I have three questions.
1) How much of the aeroplane was actually original?
None eh?. I don't know why eh? they kept calling it a restoration! Apart from that eh? I enjoyed it, wonder how much it cost eh?
GM has got to be the easiest person in the world to impersonate, I'm amazed no-ones done it yet....
1) How much of the aeroplane was actually original?
None eh?. I don't know why eh? they kept calling it a restoration! Apart from that eh? I enjoyed it, wonder how much it cost eh?
GM has got to be the easiest person in the world to impersonate, I'm amazed no-ones done it yet....
Like classic cars (Bentley for example) all they are really after is the registration plate, these occasionally come up at auction with a mangled mess of a plane, you buy that for a big sum pop along to Duxford with a big bag of cash and they'll make you a new plate and rivet the plate on.
There's another nice example of a mk1 that they have created on the underside half is painted black half is painted white. Up close you can tell the difference between a genuine example and a recreation as it is just so perfect.
Still a very good programme and good to see another spitfire in the air.
There's another nice example of a mk1 that they have created on the underside half is painted black half is painted white. Up close you can tell the difference between a genuine example and a recreation as it is just so perfect.
Still a very good programme and good to see another spitfire in the air.
I enjoyed that. I haven't really watched much Guy Martin stuff but I like his genuine enthusiam.
Those lads working for John Romain at ARC seem a good bunch.
On the topic of new builds, the value at the end and even the approvals process and hoops to jump through depend entirely on whether you have an identity or not - so it isn't a new-build.
Those lads working for John Romain at ARC seem a good bunch.
On the topic of new builds, the value at the end and even the approvals process and hoops to jump through depend entirely on whether you have an identity or not - so it isn't a new-build.
Simpo Two said:
1) How much of the aeroplane was actually original?
Not a lot.Simpo Two said:
2) Why did they skip hastily to the .50? Most Spitfires were either .303 and/or 20mm cannon. Was it just that they happened to have a .50 cal to fire?
Yes, not many live a/c .303 Brownings around, so this was the predominant reason. The RAAF started locally modifying their Mk.VIII Spits in the Far East to replace the outer 2 x .303's with single .50's as the fifty was better at strafing through the jungle canopy as well as them having greater access to fifty ammo from USA supplies in the Pacific.The E wing fitted to most Packard Merlin powered Mk.XVI Spits of 1944/5 comprised of a fifty replacing the inner 20mm Hispano and removal of the outer pair of .303's, so fifty equipped RAF Spits were certainely not a rareity in the last year of the war in Europe.
Simpo Two said:
3) Who paid for the work?
Mark One Partners. One the two partners, Simon Marsh, sadly died in a flying accident last year, and never got to see N3200 fly.N3200 was the 2nd of their Mk1 rebuilds to fly, P9374 was the first to be completed.
ecsrobin said:
There's another nice example of a mk1 that they have created on the underside half is painted black half is painted white. Up close you can tell the difference between a genuine example and a recreation as it is just so perfect.
That was also the colour scheme of last night's example, seen as it banked away at the end.aeropilot said:
answers
Thanks very much.I also wondered about the tolerances. Machining a bolt to a ten-thousandth of an inch is very impressive but were production aeroplanes made that well? I seem to recall Alex Henshaw alluding to the fact they were all slightly different ex-factory and some had to go back for refettling - so no doubt the pressure of war blunted perfection a little.
I've read that the average life of a front line aircraft in World War 2 was something like 9 months. By the end of that time, the aeroplane had either been destroyed in combat, written off in an accident or was obsolete.
As an example of the latter, the pace of development was so fast that new versions of the Spitfire were emerging every couple of months. The Spitfire went from original MkI in 1938 to PR.XIX by 1944.
As an example of the latter, the pace of development was so fast that new versions of the Spitfire were emerging every couple of months. The Spitfire went from original MkI in 1938 to PR.XIX by 1944.
Eric Mc said:
I've read that the average life of a front line aircraft in World War 2 was something like 9 months. By the end of that time, the aeroplane had either been destroyed in combat, written off in an accident or was obsolete.
As an example of the latter, the pace of development was so fast that new versions of the Spitfire were emerging every couple of months. The Spitfire went from original MkI in 1938 to PR.XIX by 1944.
It shows how desperate we were. Compare that with these days - now it takes the best part of a decade to put a new design into service (Eurofighter, F22 etc.).As an example of the latter, the pace of development was so fast that new versions of the Spitfire were emerging every couple of months. The Spitfire went from original MkI in 1938 to PR.XIX by 1944.
There was a war on - with a technologically advanced enemy developing their combat aircraft as fast (if not faster) than we were.
Most of the improvements made to the Spitfire were made in response to new threats from the Germans - such as newer versions of the 109 or the advent of the Focke Wulf 190 and its subsequent variants.
There were as many sub versions of the 109 and 190 as there were sub variants of the Spitfire.
If we were in a similar situation today, you would see sub variants of the Typhoon emerging - maybe not as quickly as in WW2 - but much quicker than we see today.
Most of the improvements made to the Spitfire were made in response to new threats from the Germans - such as newer versions of the 109 or the advent of the Focke Wulf 190 and its subsequent variants.
There were as many sub versions of the 109 and 190 as there were sub variants of the Spitfire.
If we were in a similar situation today, you would see sub variants of the Typhoon emerging - maybe not as quickly as in WW2 - but much quicker than we see today.
Eric Mc said:
There was a war on - with a technologically advanced enemy developing their combat aircraft as fast (if not faster) than we were.
Most of the improvements made to the Spitfire were made in response to new threats from the Germans - such as newer versions of the 109 or the advent of the Focke Wulf 190 and its subsequent variants.
There were as many sub versions of the 109 and 190 as there were sub variants of the Spitfire.
If we were in a similar situation today, you would see sub variants of the Typhoon emerging - maybe not as quickly as in WW2 - but much quicker than we see today.
Of course...it's just that at this rate, the Chinese will have stolen the designs and entered their rip-off versions into service before the original. Most of the improvements made to the Spitfire were made in response to new threats from the Germans - such as newer versions of the 109 or the advent of the Focke Wulf 190 and its subsequent variants.
There were as many sub versions of the 109 and 190 as there were sub variants of the Spitfire.
If we were in a similar situation today, you would see sub variants of the Typhoon emerging - maybe not as quickly as in WW2 - but much quicker than we see today.
Fascinating programme, and some great in-flight footage too. I loved how they covered the limits of ammo supply - as a kid growing up on war films in the 70s one got used to planes having seemingly unlimited ammo! What I didn't appreciate was quite how little they really had.
I thought it was a nice touch to get Geoffrey Stephenson's daughters along for the unveil too, I do hope they got to take a trip in it off camera.
I thought it was a nice touch to get Geoffrey Stephenson's daughters along for the unveil too, I do hope they got to take a trip in it off camera.
Edited by PurpleTurtle on Monday 13th October 11:29
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