Sod the 918/La Ferrari/P1 - this is what I would buy

Sod the 918/La Ferrari/P1 - this is what I would buy

Author
Discussion

Esceptico

Original Poster:

7,463 posts

109 months

Tuesday 28th April 2015
quotequote all
Ok. Running costs a bit higher. But this is the ultimate boy's toy and seems absurdly cheap considering the rarity, beauty and the fact that however much fun a car might be it can't come close to the rush you would get from flying aerobatics in a genuine WWII fighter. And the noise!! Plus you could just sit snd look at it for hours (days?!).

Seems bonkers that there are but a handful of airworthy Spitfires around and far fewer than roadworthy F1s but the price is so much less.

http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2015/apr/27/sec...


_Leg_

2,798 posts

211 months

Tuesday 28th April 2015
quotequote all
Awesome.

Ferruccio

1,835 posts

119 months

Tuesday 28th April 2015
quotequote all
Quite.
I have never understood why these are less than some cars.
I remember once, years ago, at something on the track at Goodwood, with lots of silly cars, someone getting one of these out of a hanger.
Gradually all attention switched from the cars to the Spitfire.
It was so evocative.

If I had £2.5m to spend on a toy, I know that I'd rather have a Spitfire than any car.

BelfastBoy

779 posts

160 months

Tuesday 28th April 2015
quotequote all
I know we can't really compare engine noises of cars and planes, but the Spitfire's Merlin engine makes the most glorious mechanical sound I've ever heard. Beautifully simple silhouette in the air as well.

Davey S2

13,096 posts

254 months

Tuesday 28th April 2015
quotequote all
Chris Evans was talking to John Romaine on his show yesterday morning.

The American owner actually has 2 of them. This one is being auctioned with all proceeds going to the RAF benevolent fund as stated. He is gifting the other to a museum in the UK.

That's about £5M so quite a gesture.

This one is being semi dismantled and then put back together again in the War Office rooms in London before the auction if anyone wants to go and see it.

The owners initial partner, Simon Marsh, was killed a couple of years ago in a gliding accident.

Pork

9,453 posts

234 months

Tuesday 28th April 2015
quotequote all
Davey S2 said:
Chris Evans was talking to John Romaine on his show yesterday morning.

The American owner actually has 2 of them. This one is being auctioned with all proceeds going to the RAF benevolent fund as stated. He is gifting the other to a museum in the UK.

That's about £5M so quite a gesture.

This one is being semi dismantled and then put back together again in the War Office rooms in London before the auction if anyone wants to go and see it.

The owners initial partner, Simon Marsh, was killed a couple of years ago in a gliding accident.
is that The chap in this article? There's another chap who owns a couple but is very shy of publicity with a similar name, wasn't sure if he'd requested not to be named or if there are multiple guys with multiple spitfires. What a nice place to be! And what a great gesture!

thegreenhell

15,330 posts

219 months

Wednesday 29th April 2015
quotequote all
Ferruccio said:
Quite.
I have never understood why these are less than some cars.
I'd always assumed that a large part of it was down to the usability, or lack of it. Price and rarity notwithstanding, almost anyone can jump into a 250 GTO or a McLaren F1 and drive it on the roads or on a track and get invited to some quite nice events in it, all with relatively little maintenance and upkeep. In contrast, a plane, especially one such as this, requires specialist skills and training to operate, expensive specialist care and maintenance to keep it airworthy, you can't just jump into it to pop to the shops on a whim, and unless you live at an airfield you can't keep in conveniently at home. It's still a very nice toy, arguably even better than any car, but it just requires a lot more effort from it's keeper. I feel that old Formula 1 cars are somewhat held back value-wise in the same way.

flyingjolly

11 posts

108 months

Wednesday 29th April 2015
quotequote all
I think i read somewhere on Goodwood what it takes to get a rating for spitfires and that was quite a way through different models. Starting with your (hopefully already attained) license then going to open singleseaters, taildraggers, high powered taildraggers and so on until you're finally allowed and able to fly the Spitfire.

Le TVR

3,092 posts

251 months

Wednesday 29th April 2015
quotequote all
flyingjolly said:
I think i read somewhere on Goodwood what it takes to get a rating for spitfires and that was quite a way through different models. Starting with your (hopefully already attained) license then going to open singleseaters, taildraggers, high powered taildraggers and so on until you're finally allowed and able to fly the Spitfire.
Yes its at Boultbee :

http://shop.goodwood.com/collections/flying-days/p...


Kyodo

730 posts

124 months

Wednesday 29th April 2015
quotequote all
thegreenhell said:
In contrast, a plane, especially one such as this, requires specialist skills and training to operate...
True, but kind of funny when you think they had everyday people flying them around in ww2. Notably the woman who transported them around the country, much respect.

Ferruccio

1,835 posts

119 months

Wednesday 29th April 2015
quotequote all
thegreenhell said:
Ferruccio said:
Quite.
I have never understood why these are less than some cars.
I'd always assumed that a large part of it was down to the usability, or lack of it. Price and rarity notwithstanding, almost anyone can jump into a 250 GTO or a McLaren F1 and drive it on the roads or on a track and get invited to some quite nice events in it, all with relatively little maintenance and upkeep. In contrast, a plane, especially one such as this, requires specialist skills and training to operate, expensive specialist care and maintenance to keep it airworthy, you can't just jump into it to pop to the shops on a whim, and unless you live at an airfield you can't keep in conveniently at home. It's still a very nice toy, arguably even better than any car, but it just requires a lot more effort from it's keeper. I feel that old Formula 1 cars are somewhat held back value-wise in the same way.
Sure, but it is truly a piece of history, in a way that no car ever can be.

Esceptico

Original Poster:

7,463 posts

109 months

Wednesday 29th April 2015
quotequote all
flyingjolly said:
I think i read somewhere on Goodwood what it takes to get a rating for spitfires and that was quite a way through different models. Starting with your (hopefully already attained) license then going to open singleseaters, taildraggers, high powered taildraggers and so on until you're finally allowed and able to fly the Spitfire.
I worked out how much it would cost to get to fly the Spitfire if you did all the courses, working your way up, and it came to around £100k. I don't think that included a PPL which is around £10k plus you would probably need some post qualification experience so let's add another £10k. So quite expensive but for those with many millions not prohibitive.

matty0194

95 posts

108 months

Thursday 30th April 2015
quotequote all
Id have the 16Litre Brutus that featured on top gear with a german aircraft engine the smoke coming out of it is madness did you see the stig drift that thing crazy

Leithen

10,884 posts

267 months

Thursday 30th April 2015
quotequote all
I remember as a teenager being at the Strathallan Aircraft Collection auction in 1981. Aircraft sold included a Hurricane and a Mosquito.

The auctioneer was the Hon Patrick Lindsay. He flew in in his own Spitfire. Flying jacket over Saville Row suit, disembarked, marched into hanger and started proceedings...

Quite the most gobsmacking thing I think I'll ever witness.

Honk

1,985 posts

203 months

Saturday 2nd May 2015
quotequote all
Davey S2 said:
Chris Evans was talking to John Romaine on his show yesterday morning.

The American owner actually has 2 of them. This one is being auctioned with all proceeds going to the RAF benevolent fund as stated. He is gifting the other to a museum in the UK.

That's about £5M so quite a gesture.

This one is being semi dismantled and then put back together again in the War Office rooms in London before the auction if anyone wants to go and see it.

The owners initial partner, Simon Marsh, was killed a couple of years ago in a gliding accident.
Chris Evans sounded rather pensive during that interview. I wonder if he will be the new owner?