Three Supermarine Spitfires

[dade]

Number 1

I now look back to when I was a teenager about my first love. I ended up being seduced by the contours and I had to touch them, plus the make up fitted the surroundings, and I had a life long love affair that toyed with my desires, that never ended over the decades, yes it was the Supermarine Spitfire aircraft.


The moment I have mentioned was cycling out to the local airfield to see the gate guardian. The base was called R.A.F. Turnhouse, near Edinburgh, Scotland and there was installed a Supermarine Spitfire L.F.XVI. RW393/7293M (Due to copyright, photos can be seen on the Turnhouse Spitfire page on the internet). The reason for this type of aircraft was because during WW2, R.A.F. 603 (City of Edinburgh) Auxiliary Squadron was based there and the little known fact is the first Luftwaffe aircraft to be shot down over Britain in WW2 was not in the South East corner of England but Scotland, which was a Heinkel He 111 bomber. This bomber was raiding the local major naval base at Rosyth a few miles from Turnhouse, and the squadrons aircraft were Spitfires. Another R.A.F. Squadron was based at another local airfield called Drem and they were the R.A.F. 602 (City of Glasgow) Auxiliary Squadron who were also flying Spitfires and as people in any two large cities in any country know they both had a great rivalry with each other as it is still disputed which one of these squadrons shot down the first enemy, as they were both involved on this occasion. Both 602 & 603 Squadrons went on to be very successful during WW2 with fine records. One unique (unless somebody knows others) thing about Turnhouse Airfield is to the North was a major road that had traffic lights to stop traffic crossing at the end of the runway while aircraft took off or landed and was controlled from the tower. This road is no longer there as a new runway was built when Commercial Airlines got bigger planes and needed a longer runway. This gate guardian aircraft started out being ordered on the 20/01/ 1944, being built at Castle Bromwich. Its first port of call was No. 6 Maintenance Unit on the 20/07/1945, then No. 203 Advanced Flying School on 3/11/1947. On 22/01/1948 its next move was the Fighter Command Control and reporting School to train fighter controllers. In 1949 the aircraft received its highest honour by being the personal mount of AOC Fighter Command Air Marshal Sir William Elliot GCVO, KCB, KBE, DFC & Bar, whilst on charge with No.31 Squadron at R.A.F. Hendon. The plane was painted white overall, with a red flash either side of the fuselage and made up with red crosses and blue serial numbers see the site of (www.sonsofdamien.co.uk/RW393.htm), in 1951 it was damaged by an unknown pilot and after repairs at 58 M.U. it returned to No. 31 Squadron. In 1953 it moved to No. 3 Civilian Anti-Aircraft Co-Operation unit. From July 1954 until Dec 1955 it was with no. 45 M.U. at Kinloss in Scotland. It was then allocated to No. 603 Squadron in 1955 as an instructional aircraft serial 7293, then No. 602 Squadron for one year and then returned to No 603 Squadron at Turnhouse for its longest home site as a Gate Guardian from 9/03/1957 (except being refurbished for one year between 1975/1976) to 1989. In 1995 it moved to R.A.F. Cardington for two months. On 1/05/1995 it was on display at the Aerospace Museum Cosford and on the 8/01/2003 it moved to R.A.F. Stafford for storage. Now comes the time it was transported back and forward by road between the museum at Cosford and R.A.F.M. Hendon, plus R.A.F. Stafford from 2005 to 2015 and now resides with the R.A.F. Museum Hendon in London in 2018. It is unfortunate that after being so long in Scotland, it would have been nice to have seen it at the local museum, based at East Fortune. Here history was made in 1919 when the R34 airship that was built by the Beardmore Company at lnchinnan, near Glasgow, Scotland, took off from East Fortune and heading across to New York, America and back again from the 2nd of July to the 13th of July 1919.

You find that in the U.K. the Battle of Britain was celebrated as the start of saving Democracy over Facism at the R.A.F. airfields around the country and all types of aircraft called in to Turnhouse, some that were still later versions of planes from WW2, including the U.S.A.F. At that time what seemed to be the only Battle in the world, was the Battle of Britain compared to now where others have become researched more and are celebrated by other countries for other reasons. This Battle is relevant to another story about the Supermarine Spitfire.

To be continued.

[planecrazy]

Great, love hearing stories like this.

[dade]

Number 2.

In 1945 a Supermarine Spitfire MK22 was built at the Vickers Armstrong (Castle Bromwich) Aircraft Factory at Birmingham, England. Initially the aircraft went to No. 33 Maintenance Unit, R.A.F. Also between 1945 and 1955 it went to No. 39 and No. 45, plus No. 5 Maintenance Units . During this time it was only ever allocated to one R.A.F. Squadron of 611 Auxiliary Squadron, coded RAR-D. Today there are only five MK22 Spitfires in the world. At the Zimbabwe Air Force Museum is PK355, Fighter Collection at Duxford is PK624 , the R.A.F. Museum had PK664 but now Kennet Aviation has it as it was exchanged for recovering a P-40 that had crash landed in Egypt, but the recovery did not happen as Egypt did not release the P-40 aircraft to the U.K. Plus PK519

[dade]

Number 2.


I eventually became a volunteer at the local Aviation Heritage Museum at Bullcreek, run by the local branch of the R.A.A.F.Association. W.A. Part of the display was a Supermarine Spitfire MK22 PK481 and I gravitated to this aircraft, some would even say I levitated to it. I was always amazed that an association that looked after the welfare of ex service people could have such a plane in their collection. The day came when I managed to remove myself from a cold in winter and boiling in summer hangar to an airconditioned library. In there was folder after folder with letters, aerograms, telegrams on the history of acquiring the Spitfire dating back to 1957. Reading from the documents in the Aviation Heritage Museum, you find in 1957 the organisation that was called the Royal Australian Air Force Association in Western Australia that had started out as the Australian Flying Corps Association in 1929. Probably using the local S.A.S. Army Regiments motto of '' Who Dares Wins'' decided to take a gamble on their first ownership of a building to be used as a headquarter and put themselves into debt buying a run down Villa on Adelaide Terrace, in the City of Perth, Western Australia. From this decision, the large area at the front of the Villa allowed them to establish a memorial to fallen comrades of WW2. Led by the President of the Association at this time Fremantle born ex R.A.A.F. Pilot Officer Cecil Lancelot Howard of 49 and 617 squadron R.A.F. who won a D.F.C. by being a navigator on a Lancaster ED886/G, AJ-O during the dambuster raid (Cecils brother Sgt Godfrey Howard died on a raid to Italy in February 1944 while flying with 104 Squadron R.A.F.) and also the father of the Aircraft Heritage Museum, State Secretary Frank Purser. A decision to mount a Supermarine Spitfire on a plinth/pole would be appropriate. Iead them to enquire at similar Associations in Australia of this type of aircraft, but they had no luck in finding one. They wrote to the R.A.F. Association head office in Britain to see if they had any knowledge concerning the availability of a Spitfire in that country. The R.A.F. Association wrote back on the 29th November 1957 that just by chance the Brighton & Hove branch of the Association in England had a Supermarine Spitfire MK 22 without its engine for sale. Although the documents do not show why a Spitfire was picked, rather than other aircraft, again you have to look at the Battle of Britain and the fact that British ex servicemen were migrating in droves to Commonwealth countries at that time, even Air Chief Marshal Sir Basil Embry, GCB,KBE,DSO and three bars, DFC,AFC, who after a short time in New Zealand, decided to emigrate to Western Australia and bought a farm near Albany.

to be continued

[dade]

Supermarine Spitfire MK22

[dade]

Spitfire Number 2.


After a letter to the Royal Air Force Association in Portland Place, London, seeing if any Supermarine Spitfires were available to be purchased, a returned letter on the 29th of November, 1957 stated that the Brighton & Hove Branch of the R.A.F.A. had a suitable Spitfire MK22, Serial PK481 for sale and that R.A.F.A. was arranging quotes for dismantling and packing and freighting the aircraft to Perth, W.A. It was not until the 27th March 1958 that another letter from London, stated that the quote they could get was still higher than the Royal Australian Air Force Association in Perth could afford. It was not until the 10th of April 1958 that a mention of writing to the Brighton & Hove Association offering to buy the Spitfire was made and requesting the condition of the aircraft, on the 21st April 1958 a return letter was received. It was stated that had they been able to mount the Spitfire like the Association in Perth intended to do, therefore they would not be selling the aircraft, but as it was only used for the Battle of Britain week once a year and the aircraft being stored outdoors the rest of the time in an area not of their ownership, the cost of moving it to and fro for this one occasion was eating up most of the money collected in that one week. It was also mentioned that storm damage to the belly of the aircraft due to it falling off trestles but was not structural but only superficial and that their insurance company had paid out monies for this damage, the price of the aircraft was being now offered at an reduced rate, an agreement to buy was reached between the two associations even though the Perth Association had never seen the aircraft.
It maybe timely to mention the fact that we have a photo showing it up for sale in 1955 in the caption, but not sold may mean that Supermarine Spitfires were not in demand. But in 1957 it was offered for sale to the R.A.A.F.A., the reason for the two years difference is not mentioned and can only be speculated on. Maybe a person from the Brighton & Hove Association can help. Even then it was not until between 1958 and 1959 that it was bought and paid for and shipped to Perth, Australia.
While the purchasing and enquires of the condition of PK481 was going on, a letter was sent on the 1st of April, 1958 c/o the Worthing Branch of the R.A.F.A. in the U.K. It was addressed to a Mr F.M. Wilcock who had been mentioned in an article in the "Air Mail'', for Jan/Feb 1958 edition that stated he had a Supermarine Spitfire MK XVI, serial SL721 that he had bought for 140 pounds, and had it on his forecourt of his Swandean Garage in Worthing, Sussex. The questions asked were how he kept his aircraft weather proofed and did he paint it or was it polished and painted with a transparent lacquer. Also did Mr Wilcock have access to any spare Spitfire parts as R.A.A.F.A. did not know if the spinner or airscrew and manifolds came with the aircraft. A return letter on the 1st of May thanked R.A.A.F.A for the letter and stated that he sprayed the inside of the aircraft with Shell Ensis Fluid 256 every two years and painted the aircraft with P.R.U. blue and service emblems once a year. This he said kept the aircraft in good condition and was recommended for PK481. As far as parts for the Spitfire go, they were in 1958 in short supply, but with his many contacts he would try if they could give him a list of what they needed. Going forward on this subject you find that all parts mentioned in the 1st of April letter came with the aircraft and no parts were needed to display it.
Mr Wilcock had built a car called the Swandean Spitfire Special out of two Daimler Scout cars and installed a Rolls Royce Merlin into it. Google the Wilcock Spitfire and the plane and car are shown.

Now comes the hard part for an Association that realises has no money to cover the dismantling of the aircraft, crating it, insuring it, delivering it to the docks in Britain, putting it on a ship to Perth, Australia, unloading it, delivering it from the docks to Perth Airport, reassembling it and delivering it to the city and putting it on an engineered pylon/ pole with council approval, what could possibly go wrong. Through contacts in Perth, a firm called W.S. Shackelton in London, England, a leading aircraft handling organisation was sent a letter on the 3rd of April 1958 asking for a quote, they offered transport at their end at cost only and it came to 259.14.0 pounds and shillings. This was still more than they had contemplated and larger than their resources. During this time an approach was made to the company Shaw Savill & Albion Co. Ltd. who ran the Shaw Savill Shipping Line. They gave the Association a discount of 50% on the freight rates, this was later changed to the Blue Star Line ship SS Queensland Star at the same discount. On the 3rd of June from the Fremantle Harbour Trust a letter offering no wharfing charges and a nominal handling charge was given.
A fund was started as the plane, delivery and final memorial needed 1000 pounds. When you need to build up your fund,this is where you use your commercial contacts, plus there is nothing like an old and frail member of your Association walking into businesses to prise monies and services from various organisations and the fact that your association looked after the welfare of ex service people to get favours from commercial enterprises. There are six A3 sheets with public donors and companies like Vickers the builder of the aircraft with 200 pounds, plus the aircraft plinth/pole and four 20mm gun barrels. Even though no Griffon engine came with the aircraft Rolls Royce provided 100 pounds. A concert was then held with Winifred Atwell a well known pianist at that time, who also gave 50 pounds and comedian Bobby Limb was the act. City of Perth added 500 pounds. By The time the fund had closed 1,158,14,3 Pounds/Shillings/Pence had been collected. The Western Australian people have always been good donators to good causes, but this time some money came from interstate as well, so it was the population of Australia that paid for the aircraft

Information was sent on the 23th of June 1958 to the Brighton & Hove Association, this letter asked for more time until finances could be arranged for the transportation of this aircraft, sent by Frank I. Purser. Now comes the Catch 22 moment , some enterprises were loathed to donate as the association did not have title, but they needed funds to get title, then if funds were available you needed to get an importation licence before monies could go overseas to pay for the aircraft and the delivery company. Eventually an importation licence was obtained and all problems disappeared. It was not until the 5th of August 1958 that a bank draft was sent to the Brighton & Hove Association also asking in writing for any other expenses that they have incurred to be sent to Perth so that they can reimburse them. A letter advising that the draft for the whole amount of money for the aircraft had arrived and no other expense would happen as the aircraft was covered by the R.A.F.A. Brightons insurance company for the next two months. The Brighton & Hove branch of the R.A.F.A. were thanked for their forbearance.
Then problems appeared on the 5th of Jan 1959 in a letter from a LT/Col Kealy, D.S.O. on Sussex Territorial and Auxiliary Forces Association letter heading, concerning the parked Spitfire on their premises. Although they had given permission to park the Spitfire at their Shoreham-by-sea depot it was now getting into a derelict state and it was unsafe, particularly in respect to the cadets who clamber all over it and could the plane be removed as soon as possible. This shocked the R.A.A.F.A into corresponding to Britain about the condition of the aircraft, but letters from Brighton and also Shoreham eventually proved that the Lt/Col Kealy at this depot at Shoreham had only exaggerated the condition of the plane as it was a ruse to get the plane removed so space would be available. A letter arrived from the R.A.F.A. explaining everything and even said that they doubt if the neighbourhood even remembers that it was there. So it shows how Spitfires were not the must have aircraft that they are today.

To be continued.

[dade]

[dade]

W.S. Shackleton Ltd letter dated 27/4/1959 saying cargo was at the King George V Dock, London and will depart on the 12/5/1959. The aircraft arrived on the 10/06/1959 on the ship the S.S. Queensland Star, and a Mr Bob Ashley offered to assemble the Spitfire in Perth for the Association as his experience was on Spitfires in the R.A.F. from 1946 to 1951 covering Marks IV to IX, XIV and XXIV. The aircraft arrived in a big wooden box at the Royal Flying Club at Perth Airport. Due to it being mounted on a plinth/pole, the weight had to be reduced and the seat, instrument panel, controls, control cables, wiring, balance weights, etc, were removed. Four new bolts were manufactured by Vickers Hoskins for attaching the wings, also four 20mm cannon barrels were also manufactured by them. Repairs were made to the fuselage that had been damaged after it fell from trestles in England. A tubular structure had arrived with the aircraft and that was fitted so that the engine cowl rails, cowls, exhausts and the propeller and spinner assembly could be installed. The aircraft was fitted to the pole via the undercarriage mounts by a u shaped mount and two rear supports were installed from the drop tank support on the fuselage to the pole.

Why did they have the Spitfire mounted on a plinth/pole diving at an angle of 30 to 40 degrees down and starboard wing low, while in the late fifties most WW2 aircraft were placed on their undercarriages in a parked position ? Putting the Spitfire above ground, plus one wing low and with the look of flying not only removed the plane from being vandalised but to a photographer you can gain from all angles the photos that covered all aspects of the design and contours of the aircraft. This plinth/pole is in 2018 still being used on a fibreglass Spitfire replica and looks to be still holding this plane up for a long time yet. Compared to some aircraft today with a pole up the rear end of them and the front leaping into the air, it has a more dignified and not painful look that would make anything leap into the air.

Due to the location of the Association Villa in the centre of the City and with multi storey offices being built all around it, the association was now finding that their gamble of buying the Villa years earlier was going to pay off due to the value of the land going up. They sold these premises and bought land in Bullcreek, Perth. This allowed them to further their aims of not only having an Association Headquarters, but having a retirement village and care centre to further their welfare charter for ex service people. The Spitfire was removed from its plinth/pole and plane and plinth/pole transferred to Bullcreek and put back on display.

As the Spitfire arrived in Australia without a Rolls Royce Griffon engine, during 1991 a Mr Peter Wood of the company in Britain called Westwood Portway Group wanted Rolls Royce Kestrel Reduction Gear and would be happy to swap it for Griffon engine parts of crankcase (ex Griffon 58),Sump, 2 Banks( Skirts, similar to Griffon 66), 2 Cylinder heads Ex 58, 2 damaged Griffon 66 cam boxes , plus a box made up of various parts. A lucky encounter with a pilot from Cathay Pacific Airlines led to the Kestrel parts being sent to Britain free of charge. A long period of time from when the Kestrel parts arrived in Britain to the Griffon engine being dispatched to Australia, created an anxiety that was felt by the Association as they thought it was not going to happen and they may have written off the Kestrel Reduction Gear as a lost cause. A letter to a friend in the U.K. had him check out the position of the Griffon engine parts. It was found that the parts were going to be dispatched by June 1993, it had been hard making up the Griffon kit of parts. Mr Wood did honour his side of the agreement and we have a static Rolls Royce Griffon on display to this day in 2018.

[dade]

[dade]

[dade]

A moment in time for two beautiful aircraft. Supermarine Spitfire MK22, PK481 and the Qantas Lockheed Constellation VH-EAK parked in front of the hangar belonging to the Australian National Airways at Perth Airport, Western Australia.

[dade]

Due to the wide spread knowledge of the fund for the Spitfire and the setting up of the Spitfire as a monument , several articles in the local newspapers came from various places. A story appeared in the Weekend News article of 21/2/59 concerning the fact that an electrical person that was installing the lights on the displayed Spitfire was none other than an ex Luftwaffe, Oberfahnrish Helmut Fehse, an Iron Cross recipient who flew FW190 planes on the Russian front. Another Daily news article of 5/3/59 concerned the fact that allied prisoners of war in Stalag 383 provided money to buy a Spitfire during WW2. They communicated by code to Britain to release money that the Germans thought was for their families funds, but was actually put towards buying the Spitfire called ''Unshackled Spirit''. Today this is in book form by author Colin Pateman, published in 2012 and the title is of the name of that aircraft. Another article in the weekend mail of 14/2/59 was about an old recluse Perth lady that handed over 18,750 pounds for two Spitfires and one trainer aircraft. Another part of the article mentioned the fact that wartime Spitfire funds had the effect of withdrawing purchasing power, thus keeping prices of food, clothing, etc in check and also saved the country from going over to the German marks.

[dade]

[dade]

[dade]

[dade]

[baz62]

Fascinating stuff! Thanks for the photos she looked in good condition at least externally. Glad she's inside now.

[dade]

She is in good nick baz62. I have looked inside and had some panels off on the wing and found only some surface corrosion that came off using a plastic non stick pad from the kitchen, then painted the surface and dipped the screws holding the panel in oil. Perth is very hot for nine months of the year and its a dry heat, so she only had to put up with rain for three months of the year. The biggest problem was the propeller blades which are wood and water had swollen the surface. At one time somebody had put fibreglass on them, but it had bubbled. So I rubbed one of these down and used car filler to bring back a smooth surface and others were done by other volunteer staff. Thanks to our local 25 Squadron R.A.A.F. for going over her, plus painting after being brought down from her lair, she is a credit to them and looks to be around for along time.

[dade]

[dade]