Spitfire P9374

[Andy Saunders]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/goodwood-revival/8753919/A-rare-Spitfire-Mark-I-takes-to-the-skies-once-more.html

[Larry Hickey]

Andy,

Thanx for sharing this with us. I want to acknowledge your tireless support to this a/c recovery, identification and restoration. Quite an achievement! Congratulations!

Regards,

[John Beaman]

I appreciate the resurrection of a real Spitfire I, and I hate to make a snarky comment, but for a Spitfire I in 1940, the fuselage roundels seem wrong. A combination of 1940 and later? Am I wrong here?

[Tom Semenza]

Beautiful and fantastic resoration job! What a thrill to see this kite in the air.

I would agree with John that the fuselage roundel is not quite right for May 1940. The yellow surround would have been the same width as the blue. Also it seems to me that it also would have born the 92 Sqn. code 'QJ' in addition to the individual letter 'J.' I also question whether underwing roundels were in use at this time. Incidently the loss of P9374 occurred on 24 May rather than the 23rd.

Cheers,
Tom

[Dan Johnson]

You gents are kidding right, about the markings?

You think for half a second that after all they put into this they didn't have documentation for the markings?

Have to believe Andy is rolling his eyes in disbelief right about now :)

[Pilot]

What a great job to make this machine airworthy again!

[Andy Saunders]

I can assure you, Gents, that the markings are 500% correct - even down to the correct placement of demarcation lines between the camouflage colours, correct stencil markings etc etc.

A photograph of the very aircraft on the beach, with German personnel, was our infalible guide.

As you can imagine, we wouldn't get a detail like this wrong on such a prestigious and hugely expensive project.

Yes Dan, some eye rolling going on here!

[Andy Saunders]

Andy,

Thanx for sharing this with us. I want to acknowledge your tireless support to this a/c recovery, identification and restoration. Quite an achievement! Congratulations!

Regards,

Thank you, Larry.

An extraordinary achievement by the dedicated rebuild team.

[gilles collaveri]

it is georgeous, Andy, thanks a 1000 times for your dedication. We do enjoy the result of your work when we can see & hear them flying.

If by chance you have any article/press release on P9374 to share with us, we will be delighted to read them.

All the best.

GC

[Andy Saunders]

This may be of interest:

http://www.grubstreet.co.uk/products/view/439/spitfire-mark-i-p9374/

Publication pre Christmas 2011, hopefully.

Originally scheduled date was put back due to delays in completion and first flight of P9374.

[Tom Semenza]

Andy,

No disrespect intended. I can't recall seeing any photos of other Spits from that time with similar roundels. Curious about lack of squadron code since P9374 was on charge with 92 Sqn. from 6 March. Stranger things have happened however.

Be that as it may, I can't marvel enough at the fantastic job your team has done putting this beautiful aircraft back in flight. Hearty congratulations!

Cheers,
Tom

[Andy Saunders]

Tom

We do have photos of the aircraft on the beach that very clearly show the odd roundel configuration. Also, the GR codes had been painted out leaving just the J. Again, it is odd...but that is how it was and we are also pretty sure we know why it had GR painted out, too....but thats all in the book!

Thanks for your kind words about the aeroplane. It will be appreciated by restorer and owner!

[Larry]

Regarding the marking, have a look at Camouflage & Markings No2 - The Battle for Britain May to December1940 by Paul Lucas - Scale Aircraft Monographs.

There are other May 1940 look a likes in there to confirm thin yellow edge to the roundal

[PeterA]

P9374 would have almost cetainly have had three types of fuselage roundel applied in its brief life.

1) The factory finish Blue/Red type B at 35 inch.

2) The change to a Red/White/Blue type A at 35 inch post 23rd February 1940. And we have a shot of this coded GR-J and with no fin flash.

3) Post 16th May the fin flash was applied and in theory a type A1 Red/White/Blue/Yellow at 35 inch should have been applied. It was not. The belly landing images reveal that a non standard yellow ring, approx 2/2.5 inch wide, was just applied outside the existing type A roundel.

PeterA

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v634/Mark12/1-P9374Roundel01PeterRArnoldCollection.jpg

[Andy Saunders]

Just an update on a publication date for the book.

I am currently working through the final page proofs and can confirm that it will be released at the Duxford Airshow on 27 May 2012. Foreword by Sqn ldr Geoffrey Wellum DFC.