The Silver Spitfire Live Flight Tracker

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18 years 10 months

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They're still showing two different routes in their website. They have a list of places they intend to go.. & now I've seen mention of entire countries (South Korea being one) that aren't even on the list. However, at this point they won't even confirm where they might be after they leave Mojave... which may or may not be tomorrow.

Friend is talking to me about going to Mojave later today, but can't make any plans until the tracker actually shows the aircraft on the ground at that airport.

Tracker currently shows ground movement at SMO...

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18 years 10 months

Posts: 4,796

Just left SMO... 10.30am Appears to be flying a formation with a helicopter registered to Commanche out of Houston..

Looks like it's a photo shoot by the Hollywood sign, they're stooging around at 100knts.

Edit: A quick jolly around Hollywood, Griffith Park & they just buzzed the Getty Museum. Now they're flying along PCH again

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18 years 10 months

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Gave a rather long impromptu airshow off the coast at Malibu & has just landed at Van Nuys. Taxied to (the late) Howard Kecks place.

Taxied right past the viewing area & parked where no one has any access or can even see it through the fence.

Just taken off again from Van Nuys - Quick hop over the San Gabriel mountains to Mojave?

Landed at Mojave...

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18 years 10 months

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Landed at Mojave... & taxied to a restricted part of the airfield.. so no access for the public. WTF are they doing??? There's been people waiting out there for hours in 100deg temps.

It's now in Branson's spaceship hangar... No access... what a complete cluster.

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18 years 10 months

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It overheated & had to shut down on the taxiway at MHV. I guess they're running regular coolant instead of propylene glycol, which would lower the temps by 20deg..

https://scontent-lax3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/69415358_10215069686954994_5835834092439994368_n.jpg?_nc_cat=110&_nc_oc=AQlaDni9P3TItMtQfafLaP2U387F9V5hcnnpuRnW1yF360iYaBB8GNXmw_9hucb-ycUQVyRsiIEOUKK53aYJdArC&_nc_ht=scontent-lax3-1.xx&oh=4578b2f5a3ca924c4305798503b639da&oe=5E15ED94

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18 years 10 months

Posts: 4,796

Left MHV early & landed in Bakersfield. At this point the route etc is anyone's guess as their website has nothing scheduled after yesterday. There's an air museum there, they parked nowhere near it. If they don't want anyone to get anywhere near the aircraft during this trip they should have said so before they left Goodwood. The crowd at SMO was 5... & one of those was a (edit) Boxer.

Does Tiger Destefani still have a facility there? Can't recall if he still owns Strega...

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18 years 10 months

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Tiger's place is just up the road at Minter Field in Shafter. They landed at Meadows Field. Spit is on the move again & looks to be going for a photo op at the golden gate bridge.

Edit:
Now landed at Santa Rosa, taxied to the main commercial ramp area well away from the air museum. Anyone else starting to see a pattern...?

Edit2:
Seen the pics from yesterday at Mojave. It was met by a crowd of maybe a dozen people, all but one (possibly two) work at MHV, mostly for Branson. It was pushed along the taxiway & into the hangar by VG employees after it overheated.

Appears to have some mod mounted in front of the rad scoops?

https://scontent-lax3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/69373102_3261837090493911_7644551799831003136_o.jpg?_nc_cat=108&_nc_eui2=AeGM68QKXKHBeyKLk64pvk6YTHyZOAV33SEqcO7fnzEdJjUL81apwiRc80wpei3wNa48ABP8lW0hJu947TGGgXfSQi95FQjRJ7G-FYnuWsMUWQ&_nc_oc=AQmRNKm5SdsgHoiTSSfC7Vu1ayRXFcYW0JGdLlVm58lx-LBzMwvDTXxpr8EXmjiMTb1QmlwoeL8ESZZvzUXwZGAm&_nc_pt=1&_nc_ht=scontent-lax3-1.xx&oh=214aed75d9afd2ce986b57b14aabc1e5&oe=5E07CB50

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9 years 9 months

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For an event that they want public support for, they sure seem to be going out of the way to avoid the public

Shafter, sorry, yes. Mod looks like could be a radiator spray bar a la Reno Racers, might need it on some sectors?

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18 years 10 months

Posts: 4,796

They appear to have a fire under their ass today, they're now just east of Portland Oregon. Paine Field was on the schedule, but they're off track a bit for that airfield.. or anywhere else near Seattle..

Possible photo shoot around Mt Hood

Edit:
Nope, Landed at Madras.

Also: Appears they left Mojave last night as they were already on the ground at Bakersfield at 4.30am this morning.

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18 years 10 months

Posts: 4,796

Shafter, sorry, yes. Mod looks like could be a radiator spray bar a la Reno Racers, might need it on some sectors?

That's a possibility, but it looks a bit mickey mouse with what looks to be one outlet compared to the Reno Unlimiteds I've worked on. I'm guessing Bransons guys half assed it together at Mojave yesterday.

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19 years 3 months

Posts: 376

That's a possibility, but it looks a bit mickey mouse with what looks to be one outlet compared to the Reno Unlimiteds I've worked on. I'm guessing Bransons guys half assed it together at Mojave yesterday.

These "mickey mouse" add-ons, which you're guessing were "half assed" together at Mojave on Saturday, have been part of the Spitfire from its rebuild months ago. There is ample undeniable visual evidence on Facebook and elsewhere, although they can be hard to spot in some images, such as in the video posted on the "Silver Spitfire-the Longest Flight" Facebook page on 01 Sept (see the last image below; the video must have been taken over the UK earlier in the year). I don't know the function, but they are certainly visible in most early photos. Here are a few examples, dating back to the spring of 2019 in the UK.

Don't you think that high quality went into that aircraft's rebuild, including the mystery pieces? I do.

[EDIT, 2 Sept: Mark12 pointed out that the Spitfire seen in the 9 April image below was not G-IRTY, but the backup Spitfire, RR232. Also that G-IRTY's first post-restoration flight was 27 June. Thus, the 23 April photo I posted was also RR232, because G-IRTY was still under restoration at the time. However, photographic evidence still shows that G-IRTY was equipped with the mystery bars when in the UK. Presumably, these bars were part of the restoration and have been there since before G-IRTY's first post-restoration flight.]

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Member for

18 years 10 months

Posts: 4,796

Hadn't noticed it before this weekend hence "guess". Appears you've seen more pics than I have as I hadn't seen the April pics you posted from Goodwood, or the WD magazine images etc. Wasn't really looking for pics taken months ago. From your pic dates it seems they were on there in April, but not in the video posted yesterday, but that was at Goodwood so no clue when that might have been. I assumed they were a recent addition owing to the overheating on Saturday at Mojave. I've worked on at least 4, (possibly 5) different Spits in the area & they didn't overheat.

It's a bit difficult to tell if they actually are spray bars, but I can't think of anything else they might be. They sure don't look like any of the ones I have experience with.

Anywho, they made it impossible to see the aircraft when it was in California & now it's almost 1000 miles North of me, my interest has waned to the point of complete indifference about any further flights. :)

Edit: Looked through all the pics on the FB page, earliest pic I could find showing them was March 1st. Couldn't find any mention of them in any of the captions.

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24 years 2 months

Posts: 10,029

Images from the first flight on 27 June 2019 at Duxford clearly show the 'structures' fitted...and indeed on the first engine runs minus 'rad boats' on 14 June.

Mark

https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v634/Mark12/Album%205/9-MJ271%20DX%2014%20June%202019%20spray%20bar_zps9vpkct5k.jpg

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Matt . Your clip dated '9th April 2019' with the D type Jaguar is actually RR232 mocked up in 'Silver Spitfire' livery for promotional purposes.

Mark

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13 years 10 months

Posts: 409

The Historic Flight Foundation has posted to their Facebook page that the Spitfire is due to arrive at Paine Field late in the afternoon today (Monday), and that the plan is to keep the aircraft at HFF for up to four days so as to conduct a required 50-hr maintenance check.

Member for

19 years 3 months

Posts: 376

Matt . Your clip dated '9th April 2019' with the D type Jaguar is actually RR232 mocked up in 'Silver Spitfire' livery for promotional purposes.

Mark

Gotcha.

I now realize that the first flight of G-IRTY (MJ789) was not until 27 June 2019, as you informed us, Mark. It is also mentioned here on the Aircraft Restoration Company Facebook page (posted 28 June, but no date for the first flight was given):

https://www.facebook.com/aircraftrestorationcompany/

Accompanied by photos, the text reads:

June 28 Cambridge, United Kingdom

After two and a half years of work, the Silver Spitfire has taken to the skies on it's first flight since 1954!

We are so proud of our in-house Spitfire restoration team (Historic Flying Ltd) who under their chief engineer, Martin Overall, have endured early morning starts, late night finishes and the occasional all nighter in order to get this beautiful machine finished on time. The commitment and passion that these guys pour into each and every Spitfire that we rebuild is inspiring!

Once we have completed the test phase it will be time for G-IRTY to pass on to her new owners @boultbeeacademy and embark on the next chapter in her story, circumnavigating the world! But that's their story to tell, so make sure you go and follow the @thesilverspitfire to keep up with their progress! Finally, to absolutely everyone who had a hand in this restoration, whether they be part of our team or one of our suppliers, thank you! ...

Below, from the "Silver Spitfire - The Longest Flight" Facebook page, is the full photo I'd cropped, including comments. Whoever put the Facebook page together didn't post that this was RR232:

https://www.facebook.com/thesilversp...type=3&theater

[ATTACH=JSON]{"alt":"Click image for larger version Name:\tSilverSpitfire,Facebook,RR232,09April19,UK,comments.jpg Views:\t0 Size:\t453.6 KB ID:\t3872538","data-align":"none","data-attachmentid":"3872538","data-size":"medium"}[/ATTACH]

A second photo was also posted of RR232, without identification:

https://www.facebook.com/thesilversp...type=3&theater

I didn't realize that a backup Spitfire was, at the time, being used in place of G-IRTY. I did find that the Goodwood.com website includes a couple of photos of the backup (RR232, but the serial number was not given), and this text:

It's an undertaking which is set to take the two pilots four months to complete. Flying 27,000 miles, and stopping in 30+ countries, sharing legs as they go. The plane they will be flying around the world isn't actually here at all. This is a 'back-up' Spitfire to the real G-IRTY, currently undergoing extensive restoration and modification in time for their first flight.

Once revealed, the genuine G-IRTY - also a MK IX Spitfire which flew 51 combat missions during the Second World War - will be even more impressive, with a polished aluminium finish creating a mirror-like appearance. That decision was made to 'de-militarise' the aircraft and highlight the timeless beauty of R.J. Mitchell's masterpiece.

This is found here: https://www.goodwood.com/grr/event-c...und-the-world/

Back on the "Silver Spitfire - The Longest Flight" Facebook site, there is a photo of RR232's engine, just the engine, dated 22 March 2019, along with a note saying that RR232 would be the backup Spitfire on the 'round-the-world flight:

https://www.facebook.com/thesilversp...type=3&theater

In the comments, there is a link to a Telegraph story about RR232:

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/luxury/m...-single-rivet/

This story includes a photo with a caption which reads:

Martin Phillips's Spitfire, wearing temporary silver paint so it can stand in - if needed - for the Silver Spitfire set to circumnavigate the globe this summer; here, it is having its wings reattached after being transported to Geneva for an event with the watch company IWC CREDIT: JAMES MCNAUGHT.

The photo and caption:

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I had also posted a cropped 23 April 2019 photo, found on the "Silver Spitfire - The Longest Flight" Facebook site, which I now understand is the backup RR232 starting its engine -- a couple of months before G-IRTY had flown. The full photo:

https://www.facebook.com/thesilversp...type=3&theater

[ATTACH=JSON]{"alt":"Click image for larger version Name:\tSilverSpitfire,Facebook,23April19,UK,maybeRR232.jpg Views:\t0 Size:\t91.6 KB ID:\t3872540","data-align":"none","data-attachmentid":"3872540","data-size":"medium"}[/ATTACH]

Notice that in all of the photos of RR232, the surfaces are not mirror-like, as found on G-IRTY, because RR232 was painted. Not the polished bare aluminium of G-IRTY.

It is clear from other photos that the underwing equipment being discussed in this thread was already a part of G-IRTY when in the UK.

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18 years 4 months

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Are the two metal strips there to divert ice fragments away from the rad intakes ?