AB910 - Engine Runs at Duxford!

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Member for

24 years 2 months

Posts: 1,537

Just seen a couple of pictures posted on the BBMF Facebook page of AB910 having engine runs after her overhaul with ARC at Duxford.

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Looking good, and nice to see her fitted with a 3-bladed Rotol prop, and external armour windscreen! :)

Cheers

Paul

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Member for

18 years 10 months

Posts: 1,084

Did she already have the "ejector"-type exhausts fitted before the overhaul, or are they new too..... ?

There was a time when most (all?) of the then airworthy BBMF Merlin Spits had stub exhausts whether correct for the mark or not... good to see that they have progressively been made ever more representative of their "time" .

Looks lovely doesn't she, can't wait to see her back on the display circuit. Well done to all involved.

Member for

24 years 2 months

Posts: 3,566

In the markings of F/Lt Tony Cooper, 64 Sqdn "Peter John I"?...

Had the pleasure of meeting Tony in Nov 2013. I was able to look at his Log Books, and in what can only be described as an extraordinary coincidence, I looked at a photograph of F/Lt Cooper, sat in front of a Spitfire, with several other pilots at 53 OTU Kirton-in-Lindsay in February 1945.
Sat next to Tony was a S/Ldr Niven (OC) - I peered at the photograph and recognised the face. A quick check of the Log Book of John Niven on my laptop, revealed it was indeed the one and the same.
John Niven is the father of a close family friend who also flew AB910 briefly - (Feb 19 1945 Spitfire VB AB910 Weather Test (15 mins) Operating from Hibaldstow) - and also flew ML407 (Aug 3 1944 Spitfire IXB ML407 Target Support Cover - 20000' Lille Ostend area covering 300 Halifaxes on Noball at Foret Le Nieppe. Very hazy. Bad for strafing. Little flak from St.Omer & Hesdin.).

To be able to sit down and actually talk with one of the pilots, whose footage was some of that which I have been watching over the last seven years, was a real privilege and honour.

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17 years 7 months

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Three bladed prop.

Member for

20 years 7 months

Posts: 18,353

Nice!! Especially seeing her with the correct prop fitted! :)

Member for

18 years 4 months

Posts: 2,810

does the change of prop improve the handling?

Member for

24 years 2 months

Posts: 3,415

Blimey that was quick work! I expected her to miss this season. She looks fantastic.

Member for

20 years

Posts: 3,902

Can it be test flown by ARC, or are only BBMF crew approved to operate it ?

Member for

17 years 11 months

Posts: 2,024

Looks good :)

Member for

24 years 2 months

Posts: 3,208

Blimey that was quick work! I expected her to miss this season. She looks fantastic.

It has been there for a couple of years. I think it was originally due to have been completed mid-summer last year (hence the invasion stripes) but the wait certainly seems to have been worth it, it looks superb!

Member for

20 years 7 months

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I've only just noticed the other subtle change - the windscreen.

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14 years 9 months

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Did MkVs have invasion stripes? I thought they were well out of front line service in the UK by 1944.

Regards

Member for

20 years 7 months

Posts: 18,353

There were still a fair few on the front line on D-Day, including at least one other survivor (BL370).

A Spitfire V which started like as a Mk.Ia also shot down a Bf109G on D+2!

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24 years 2 months

Posts: 8,464

Zooming in on the firewall suggests that this is much more than a skin deep restoration. I'd like to see more, but it looks pretty stock under the skin.

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17 years 1 month

Posts: 326

Did MkVs have invasion stripes? I thought they were well out of front line service in the UK by 1944.

Regards

Hi, Johnny Checketts was commanding a wing of 3 MKVb squadrons, British (130), Polish (303) and Canadian (402) over Caen behind the beachhead at first light on D-Day, in support of bombers and gliders carrying paratroops, according to his Biography (a good read).

Member for

24 years 2 months

Posts: 3,415

Mk vs certainly wore invasion stripes. AB910 shot down at least one a/c wearing them over Normandy...

Member for

15 years 8 months

Posts: 286

And in a fitting coincidence Tony Cooper actually witnessed the occasion when AB910 landed at Hibaldstow with Margaret Horton draped over the tail.

Member for

19 years

Posts: 923

Zooming in on the firewall suggests that this is much more than a skin deep restoration. I'd like to see more, but it looks pretty stock under the skin.

Spot on Bruce !

Member for

19 years 3 months

Posts: 805

Can it be test flown by ARC, or are only BBMF crew approved to operate it ?

BBMF Personnel Only. It's a military aircraft and there's no authorisation or insurance for a civilian to operate them.

Member for

24 years 2 months

Posts: 10,029

The livery is 100% faithful to images of Tony Cooper's personal Spitfire.

Tony has the most wonderful photographic record of his service life and I am privileged to have been able to copy it.

64 Squadron reverted to Mk V's before D-Day.

A magnificant restoration that vastly exceeded my expectation.

Mark

Member for

12 years 11 months

Posts: 1,542

Glorious :cool: