Spitfire at 70

[jameshr4]

http://www.thesun.co.uk/article/0,,2-2006100599,00.html

THE Spitfire took to the skies again yesterday for its 70th birthday — with a wartime test pilot in the cockpit.

Five of the legendary fighters flew in formation to recreate the day in 1936 when the first prototype made its maiden flight.

Former chief test pilot Alex Henshaw, 93, was invited to fly in one of the “Spits” for the eight-minute trip from Eastleigh, near Southampton.

Alex, declared: “The Spitfire is the most outstanding low-wing monoplane ever built.

“For me this is really full circle as I first flew the Spitfire from Eastleigh on my birthday in 1939 and this is the last time I will go up in one, so it’s very nostalgic.”

Alex, from Newmarket, Suffolk, said he was planning to take the controls in mid-air.

However, he joked he would not be allowed to land it because of “a few insurance problems”.

More than 22,000 Spitfires were built during the war and the eight-gun fighter won the 1940 Battle of Britain along with the Hawker Hurricane. The Spit was designed by Reginald Mitchell and built at plants in Southampton and Castle Bromwich, Birmingham.

Mitchell, whose prototype was made at the Supermarine factory in Southampton, died of cancer at 42 only a year after it first flew.

Many still feel he never got the recognition he deserved.

Alex was the chief Spitfire test pilot for most of the war, based at Castle Bromwich.

He made sure that successive versions were able to take on enemy aircraft all over the world. And he even discussed its performance with Prime Minister Winston Churchill, who famously described the heroic Battle of Britain pilots as “The Few”.

The Spitfire was eventually produced in more than 30 different models, including a naval version the Seafire.

Tens of thousands of spectators turned out to watch yesterday’s flypast, which began at 4.30pm — the exact time of the prototype’s flight seven decades ago.

Wartime fighter ace Squadron Leader Neville Duke watched them take off and said: “I flew in them from 1941 and throughout the war.

“It’s a long time since I have seen more than one of them at the same time. But the Spitfire still sounds and looks as good as ever.”

Designer Mr Mitchell’s son Dr Gordon Mitchell, 85, said: “I often wonder what my father would be thinking if he was here now.

“When he died he knew that the RAF had ordered 310 Spitfires but he would be amazed to know 22,000 were built.”

Meanwhile, Carolyn Grace, 54, who is thought to be the world’s only woman Spitfire pilot, flew solo over the Imperial War Museum at Duxford, Cambs, yesterday to mark the anniversary.

Ms Grace flew the Spit credited with the first enemy kill on D-Day in 1944, when it was piloted by New Zealander Johnny Houlton.

[big_les]

Bloody hell. They actually got their facts straight for once. There's been a lot of BS talked this anniversary, but buggered if the Sun haven't had the best report yet!

[Kilgor]

Everyone jerked off over the spit, and I dont blame them it is a stunningly beautiful aircraft. But the hurricane was real workhorse of BOB. It suprises me after all these years they still dont mention its part in the story.

[Little J]

Spitfire is still to this day the most gorgeous aircraft ever to have flown...

dont know if its true but I heard a few years back that the only reason that the Hurrican got more kills was because it got tasked with bombers where as the Spit got the fighters... not sure I believe that (considering how up against it the RAF was...

[Kilgor]

yes, the hurricanes got charged with taking down the bombers. And with 8X.303 guns would not have been a easy task. There are stories of german bombers comming back with hundreds of small bullet holes.

I have to agree, the spit is the most stunning aircraft. Not the clipped wing versions though, they look ugly.

[KEEPER0311]

I sure the old man felt a little younger after sitting in the cockpit. Good read.

[Kilgor]

The sound of those aircraft is just magic. Something I never forgot seeing / hearing as a child.

[big_les]

Everyone jerked off over the spit, and I dont blame them it is a stunningly beautiful aircraft. But the hurricane was real workhorse of BOB. It suprises me after all these years they still dont mention its part in the story.

To me, that old chestnut "the Hurricane carried the Battle of Britain" is almost as misleading as claiming that the sexier Spitfire did it on all its own (which I agree is still oft repeated). There were simply more of the Hurri available, because they were easier and therefore quicker to build. There's a reason they were sent after the bombers; the Spitfire was the superior fighter. Being an evolution of existing technology (see the Hawker Fury biplane) the Hurri was easy to build and more resilient to eneny fire, but was slower, less maneouvrable (though more inherently stable), and had very little room for further development (there were 14 versions of Spit not including the Seafire put into service in numbers, and only 3 of the Hurricane). If the industrial complex had been sufficiently up to speed, we'd have built all Spitfires.

That said, it's a plain fact that both types were absolutely essential to the 1940 victory, and of course it was the pilots and groundcrew that really made the difference.

[Kilgor]

The wood in the hurri was much easier to repair too, and didnt take as long as the machining alloys in the spit.

[Little J]

That said, it's a plain fact that both types were absolutely essential to the 1940 victory, and of course it was the pilots and groundcrew that really made the difference.

I think its fair to say that we thank all those who did their part to stop the Nazi invasion... :hug:

[Mastermind]

The guys who flew the Spits and the Hurris have, in my book, gone down in the history of warfare as true legends. Every one of them were heros in the purest definition...The free world owes them a debt that can never be repaid.

[big_les]

The wood in the hurri was much easier to repair too, and didnt take as long as the machining alloys in the spit.

By the time of the Battle, most Hurris had metal skinned wings, and in fact the design used a lot of metal internally (as did the Fury biplane before it). The battle-hardiness of the Hurri has more to do with it not losing as much structural integrity through combat damage - the Spit relied on its metal skin for that integrity to a greater extent.

[oldsoak]

To me, that old chestnut "the Hurricane carried the Battle of Britain" is almost as misleading as claiming that the sexier Spitfire did it on all its own (which I agree is still oft repeated). There were simply more of the Hurri available, because they were easier and therefore quicker to build. There's a reason they were sent after the bombers; the Spitfire was the superior fighter. Being an evolution of existing technology (see the Hawker Fury biplane) the Hurri was easy to build and more resilient to eneny fire, but was slower, less maneouvrable (though more inherently stable), and had very little room for further development (there were 14 versions of Spit not including the Seafire put into service in numbers, and only 3 of the Hurricane). If the industrial complex had been sufficiently up to speed, we'd have built all Spitfires.

That said, it's a plain fact that both types were absolutely essential to the 1940 victory, and of course it was the pilots and groundcrew that really made the difference.

Manouevreability is funny one to define. ASFAIK, all makes of Spitfire were faster and climbed quicker, but none could out turn the Hurri. There was a chap called ******** who flew both in WWII and thought the BoB Hurri as good as the BoB Spit and says that at low level Hurris could stay on the tail of a Spit without too much hassle. The Hurri did not get developed because Hawkers had already flown the Typhoon in february 1940 and developing the Hurri would have required more resources thrown at it. In any case, the air ministry decided which aircraft were to be built or developed and which were not to be proceeeded with. Could it have been developed ? The wings would need redesign to reduce drag and a switch made to metal stressed skin contruction throughout. All that would have come of that would have been another Spitfire.