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Post by Simonjg on Dec 8, 2007 22:39:55 GMT 12
Some of you will know Doug Brooker the owner and awesome pilot (2006 NZ aerobatic champion) of the Giles ZK-NUT He has just purchased a two seat, dual control Spitfire (mark unknown at this stage) that has flown 17 hours since restoration. It will shortly be on the way to Ardmore where it will live. So boys and girls we will have a Spitfire at Warbirds over Wanaka. Is that fantastic news or what??
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Post by Kereru on Dec 9, 2007 11:58:51 GMT 12
Fantastic indeed! I look forward to seeing and hearing it at Ardmore and Wanaka. Well done Doug! Colin
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Post by flyjoe180 on Dec 9, 2007 12:10:18 GMT 12
Wow, I know he was looking for a Spitfire a few years ago but he seemed to go cold on it. Pass on my congratulations and hello to Doug. Hows the Thunder Mustang going Simon? We don't get anything like that down here.
There can't be many dual control Spitfires around?
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Post by Brett on Dec 9, 2007 12:46:04 GMT 12
If it is a TR.VIII then it will be MT818. The hours since restoration sound about right, but it hasn't flown for many years and will need work to fly again.
If it is a TR.IX then it could be SM520 which I wasn't aware had flown (I thought it was still a year or so away), or MH367 which flew for the first time in 2006.
Good news, whichever one it is.
Brett
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Post by planeimages on Dec 9, 2007 13:03:53 GMT 12
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Post by Simonjg on Dec 9, 2007 22:03:54 GMT 12
I was lucky enough to see some photos of Dougs new baby tonight at the Warbirds Christmas party (yet another crap Auckland weather day where our displays were canceled due weather)
It is a Mark TR9; not the one sold on the provenance fighter sales web site.
It has a US flag on the very attractive military paint scheme, it was converted to a two seat a year ago.
Joe; Thunder Mustang going well it seems we just go from 50 hour check to 50 hour check with no problems now. We have now completed 222 hours flying time. I still absolutely love flying her; had a great flight last weekend doing photos for NZ’s best aviation magazine “Pacific Wings” with our Thunder Mustang in formation with Grahams P51.
Photo will be on our web site later this week.
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Post by flyjoe180 on Dec 9, 2007 22:07:44 GMT 12
Sounds really good, I'll check your site out again later in the week Glad to hear it's going well.
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Post by flyjoe180 on Dec 9, 2007 22:28:22 GMT 12
Bit of a bugger about the weather too. You don't have much luck for the Warbirds Christmas functions do you?
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Post by Citabria on Dec 10, 2007 6:42:07 GMT 12
Well done Doug !
It'll be great to see and I hope Doug fly's it as much as NUT.
As for the weather... it was almost bad enough to put CIT back in the hangar ;D
I was all set for the Chritmas party, however wifey decided it was too cold for Bubba... so we went home after buying half price nappies at Countdown.... oh how my life is changing! ;D
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Post by DragonflyDH90 on Dec 10, 2007 7:04:26 GMT 12
I heard this a few days ago also and was wondering if it was just the rumour mill going, good to see it has been confirmed Simon.
Congratulatory email.....sent
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Post by vs on Dec 10, 2007 9:12:53 GMT 12
Very cool
If I remember corectly, this spitfire was in a classic wings that came out over the last year or so. I am pretty sure the American scheme is a med/North Africa paint job
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Post by Dave Homewood on Dec 10, 2007 10:16:43 GMT 12
I was told this yesterday morning by Dave Phillips and then confirmed to me by Trevor Bland in the afternoon. What awesome news! Well done to Doug, I hope he has many happy years flying and displaying it.
Yes, the weather at Ardmore yesterday was abysmal and stuffed up two film shoots I went up there for. Oh well, I did get one shoot in the can, so it wasn't totally a waste of time. I looked out for you while I was there Simon (and anyone else off the forum) but must have missed you.
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Post by Brett on Dec 10, 2007 10:31:39 GMT 12
That would make it MH367...or at least the aircraft that flies with the paperwork of MH367. Previously #DM008 with Dick Melton Aviation. Restored for Peter Godfrey in Florida. Although substantially a new-build, the fuselage uses parts from ML417 and some structural components of the original MH367 (ex-F.IX) which were retrospectively incorporated into #DM008. This allowed the airframe to adopt the identity of MH367. Painted to represent a Mk VB, ER570, flown by Major Robert Levine, USAAF, in Tunisia, June 1943. First flight was at Bartow, Florida, in September 2006, with Eliot Cross on the stick. More info (and a photo) can be found here: forum.keypublishing.co.uk/showthread.php?t=63101&highlight=mh367Question: will it wear the squadron codes NU-T? ;D Or D O UG? Cheers, Brett
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Post by rbwannabe on Dec 10, 2007 16:04:32 GMT 12
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Post by Simonjg on Dec 10, 2007 21:27:35 GMT 12
Richard; congratulations on your purchase of NUT. Guess it took you a while to fall in love with the colour eh.; Or is it Mrs Hood who said you could buy an aero plane with such a fine colour!! Apparently all who said it was lavender are at the bottom of the list to go for a ride in Doug’s Spitfire. ;D ;D
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petera
Flight Lieutenant
Posts: 88
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Post by petera on Dec 10, 2007 21:34:09 GMT 12
Excellent news. Excellent new home. PeterA Image Harry Stenger.
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Post by rbwannabe on Dec 10, 2007 21:36:57 GMT 12
Always loved the colour myself...........purple, it's the new black!
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Post by Simonjg on Dec 10, 2007 21:44:17 GMT 12
Yeah right! It will be on a billboard before you know it!!
Awsome photo
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Post by Bruce on Dec 10, 2007 22:18:34 GMT 12
I hope Doug keeps the colour scheme - although a US Spitfire is bound to confuse a lot of people! (I wont make any comment on painting the Spitfire Purple - or lavender.... )
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Post by Bruce on Dec 10, 2007 22:19:07 GMT 12
How about PR Pink?
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