there are 20+ variants... its AR-501. used in the Battle of Britain film... http://spitfiresite.com/photos/galleries/shuttleworth-collection-ar501/index.htm
I was looking after a 356 and samba thats owned by the project leader. I said I was fed up of the running about of the mobile work so he offered me (over a kebab and a few beers) a chance to try it out. been doing it for a few months now and its projected flight date will be 18 months to 2 years. if people are genuinely interested in it I will start a thread with pics of what I have done and whats the state of play is...
I would love to see some pics. I am too young to have seen or heard a Spitfire fly in anger but it still gives me goosebumps an makes the hairs stand up when I see them flying at Duxford.
I live on the estate that owns the airfield (Shuttleworth) so we often see the Lancaster, hurricanes and spitfires coming over and as a kid living near Sailsbury plain I often saw the BoB formation going past. 6 merlins / griffons at full chat is an awesome sound (goosebumps now just thinking of it). I have also worked on a hurricane but this is to date the coolest thing I have ever done. next project will be an American Wild cat that they have just bought from the states. Anyway, Duxford did a refurb of this spitfire a while back and they have just about to finish another one whilst coming to us for reference and details. I cant tell you how bonkers the level of detail is...
Thread would be great, love to see one of these being resto's TRIVIA ALERT !!!!! If you watch the Battle of Britain movie, about halfway through there is a shot of a flight taking of right to left across camera. As the camera pans you will see a detached "60's" style house in the background - that was my house Filmed at Hawkinge near Folkestone which was an old fighter aerodrome. Now a huge housing estate Cheers, MM
I for one would love to see a thread with the work done...its not your everyday project, this will be interesting!!
WHen I was a student in Southampton in the mid-90's there was a spitfire that would occasionally fly over my house, with the glorious sound of that Rolls Royce Merlin engine rattling the louvre vents in the windows of my student hovel. Lovely.
Be warned though fish dude that working on aircraft gives you an attention to detail thats hard to shake off
