Jump to content
Join the Unexplained Mysteries community today! It's free and setting up an account only takes a moment.
- Sign In or Create Account -

Restored Spitfire sets off around the world


Still Waters

Recommended Posts

Two British aviators take off Monday on a first-ever attempt to fly a Spitfire around the world, proclaiming the iconic fighter plane as a symbol of freedom.

The restored plane fought in World War II but has been de-militarised, stripped of its guns and paintwork to reveal the shining, silvery metal underneath.

The official record will note that this aircraft is MJ 271, veteran of more than 50 missions over enemy territory in the last two years of World War II. 

The 76-year-old plane took off from Goodwood Aerodrome at around 1.30pm today for a four-month, 27,000 miles (43,500km) adventure westwards around the globe.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7322837/Iconic-silver-Spitfire-sets-four-month-27-000-mile-trip-circumnavigate-globe.html

  • Like 4
  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

There is surely no more beautiful sound and sight than that of a Merlin V12 being pushed hard, and the graceful silhouette of the Spitfire...

 

  • Thanks 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

9 minutes ago, ChrLzs said:

There is surely no more beautiful sound and sight than that of a Merlin V12 being pushed hard, and the graceful silhouette of the Spitfire...

The Rolls' are something else aren't they?

As soon as they put those Merlins in P-51s they turned into a true fighter. 

 

 

  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

13 minutes ago, Piney said:

The Rolls' are something else aren't they?

The Merlin was a great engine. It was very adaptable aswell, one in the Spitfire, the Hurricane and the P-51 Mustang, two in the Mosquito and four in the Lancaster. They even used a half Merlin (Meteor) in many of their tanks, such as the Cromwell, Churchill, Comet and Centurion. 

13 minutes ago, Piney said:

As soon as they put those Merlins in P-51s they turned into a true fighter. 

After they put in the Merlin it did indeed become one of the best planes in World War 2. Some might argue that it was better than the Spitfire, but for me the Spitfire wins by simply being cooler than anything else. (And the Centurion is the coolest tank ever !)

  • Thanks 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ah, the British Leyland days. :td:

I prefer to remember the Rover 75. The best car we ever made.

.....and the Mini, of course.

  • Like 1
  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 minutes ago, acute said:

Ah, the British Leyland days. :td:

I prefer to remember the Rover 75. The best car we ever made.

.....and the Mini, of course.

Agreed.  Back in the day, I began my Corgi car collection with one of the earlier Rovers. I also used to love building models, and my pride and joy was a 1/32 scale Spitfire that I spent about 3 months building and painting in full RAF regalia and camouflage - sadly I no longer have it, it got broken in a house move..  I might do another in my retirement..

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

When I was a kid, I made planes from Airfix kits, and hung them from my bedroom ceiling. One of them was a Spitfire, of course.

 

BTW... The Spitfire in this topic was built at what is now Jaguar Land Rover.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castle_Bromwich_Assembly

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Sentinel_sculpture_TimTolkien.jpg

Edited by acute
  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hopefully they complete the trip safely, being an old girl and only one engine. The Spitfire was a dangerous plane for the enemy, but also for its pilot, having a narrow undercarriage that meant many came to grief on rougher landing strips.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 months later...
On 8/6/2019 at 1:32 AM, Habitat said:

Hopefully they complete the trip safely, being an old girl and only one engine. The Spitfire was a dangerous plane for the enemy, but also for its pilot, having a narrow undercarriage that meant many came to grief on rougher landing strips.

They did. :tu:

This is in today's news:

Quote

Two British pilots have touched down on home soil, after flying around the world in a restored Spitfire, with the paintwork stripped to a shining aluminium finish.

Steve Brooks, 58, from Burford, Oxfordshire, and Matt Jones, 45, from Exeter, took four months to circumnavigate the globe in the first trip of its kind in a Spitfire.

They stopped off in 100 locations, across 30 countries.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-england-sussex-50679671/spitfire-pilots-return-to-goodwood-after-round-the-world-trip

 

  • Like 1
  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.