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Post by Gavin Conroy on Sept 24, 2009 21:10:26 GMT 12
Here are a few shots from the flight on July 1 at Woodbourne. Sean Perrett was the pilot and as he is an ex Red Arrow I knew we would be in for some great flying. I remember seeing him charging around behind us to meet up and he was moving but slotted into position so quickly. He was flying really well so we we could get some nice bank angles to show the aircraft off well. It was Seans first flight in formation with a Sptifire and he made it too easy but he was working really hard in saying that. Not the nicest day and very cold but a Spitfire will always photograph well. Will put some more photos from the flight on my website tomorrow night.          What a beautiful shape.  |
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Post by ZacYates on Sept 24, 2009 21:19:36 GMT 12
Magnificent Gavin! Simply magnificent! Fantastic photos, and it looks as though Sean enjoyed himself! I want to get a decent-sized print of AL.....I just don't know which of your photos I want most! You make it too hard  |
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Post by Gavin Conroy on Sept 25, 2009 19:26:00 GMT 12
have just added a folder of photos from the flight to my website.
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Post by Radialicious on Sept 25, 2009 21:23:57 GMT 12
There are a few reasons that come to mind to explain why Sean appears to be enjoying himself in these photos:
1 - he is the kinda guy who seems to enjoy flying and...
2 - he is a former Red Arrow and formation flying alongside a machine tootling along nice and easy and turning at Rate 1 (if you're lucky) for an audience of just Gavin, is not particularly demanding and...
3 - he is flying a FREAKIN' Mk 9 Spitfire!!!
It was great to catch up with Brendon and Sean at Ohakea last weekend. Brendon (again) bent over backwards to assist with us getting in and out of Ohakea and I thank him for that.
I'm probably not the first to think that PV270 will shortly (if not already), mean as much to the Kiwi enthusiast as Sir Tim's TB863 did for all those years.
Thanks again Brendon and Sean for a very enjoyable Ohakea visit.
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Post by Radialicious on Sept 25, 2009 21:44:08 GMT 12
I like to see the Spitfire with a healthy exhaust stain down the fuselage. To me it signals a machine that more accurately resembles the fighter that it represents. There are many reasons for a modern day warbird to be presented better than new but personally I'd love to see one that was presented as she was back in the day.
By this I mean a machine that appears to have received attention only where absolutely needed to get the job done. Ammo, fuel and oil comes to mind. Exhaust and oil stains might have been wiped down between flights but probably not. The doped patches over the gun barrels probably built up to quite a number of layers until being cleaned up. Screwdriver marks in the paint from armourers and mechanics would grow around panel fasteners etc.
I don't know of any warbirds worldwide that are presented in a completely wartime finish.
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Post by Naki on Sept 25, 2009 21:50:39 GMT 12
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Post by Andy Wright on Sept 28, 2009 20:09:57 GMT 12
Sigh.
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Post by baz62 on Oct 1, 2009 5:42:37 GMT 12
I don't know if it is still the case but the Shuttleworth MK V was the only Spitfire still flying that had the IFF (Identification Friend or Foe) aerials which come out of the sides of the fuselage approx mid way along from the cockpit and went out to the tips of the horizontal stabilizers (both sides).
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Post by baz62 on Oct 1, 2009 17:05:44 GMT 12
Its interesting how much you learn about the different marks of Spitfires and how just when you think you know it all you see a photo and go huh? I remember seeing a photo of an early mark (I or II) with this huge fuel tank grafted onto the leading edge of the port wing! Suffice to say they were a little unbalanced and a bit slower than a standard Spit! If I recall correctly they had a Squadron of them around the time of the Battle of Britain in an attempt to increase the range.
The link supplied by Naki shows some interesting details of AR501. Although the MK V Spitfire left the factory with the 3 stub exhaust arrangement (thats three a side) it is actually quite correct to see AR501 with the MK IX style individual style exhausts. The big chunky exhausts were prone to cracking so it wasn't surprising to see early mark Spitfires with the individual exhausts and occasionally a four bladed propeller late war.
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Post by flyjoe180 on Oct 2, 2009 12:19:14 GMT 12
Marvellous photos Gavin, cheers! What an exciting sortie that must have been.
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