The Silver Spitfire Live Flight Tracker

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:applause: We woz sure fooled!

Member for

20 years 6 months

Posts: 7,025

Just a shame they seem to be flying all round the world and keeping it out of sight of the public .

Just arriving at Everett. It is a shame that people aren't getting a chance to take a close look.

Member for

13 years 10 months

Posts: 409

The aircraft is now expected to be staying at the Historic Flight Foundation for the next four days, undergoing a required 50-hr maintenance check, so it might be available to be seen by those visiting that museum.

Member for

18 years 10 months

Posts: 4,796

It is actually an optical illusion. The strip is the leading edge of the rear main gear bay and only appears detached from the airframe because GIRTY is polished so well. The radiator mouth above the strip is a reflection. GIRTY's radiator is (at least in this respect) stock.

I was wondering why the heck it appeared to stick out a few inches past the edge of the rad scoops... & also explains why it looked like a half assed hack job for the spray bar mod. The photoshop pic of it *flying* at Goodwood didn't help maters :)

Member for

19 years 3 months

Posts: 376

It looks like scenic country in the Everett, Washington area, with the Puget Sound nearby, a major city (Seattle) to the north, and coastal mountains to the east. G-IRTY was taken for a spin to check out some of the scenery.

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I assumed that had they been apray bars they were off-set and angled to avoid the gear leg - I imagine lengthy taxiing in very high temperatures is to be avoided.

Member for

19 years 5 months

Posts: 9,821

The Historic Flight Foundation (home of John Sessions' Spitfire IX, SL633), hosted the ship Monday and it's mechanics will do a standard 50 hour check before it resumes it's journey.

Member for

24 years 2 months

Posts: 10,029

I am indebted to Col Pope for clarifying the 'Spray Bar' query. Just part of the standard structure on all Spitfires but confusing to the eye when polished. :)

https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v634/Mark12/Album%205/20190904_082434_zpstpdcrt1u.jpg

Mark

Member for

19 years 3 months

Posts: 376

Thanks to all for "spray bar" details. I'm not mechanical-minded and haven't seen a Spitfire up-close in a long time, so I must admit to confusion on the function of the bar. For cooling, I take it, on the ground? What is the liquid? I don't see obvious jets for the release of a spray. Might someone educate a very naive person? For example, in Mark12's last image, I see nothing obvious on the side of the metal bar facing the camera, and nothing on the flat bottom surface of the bar. No feeder pipes or hoses are visible to me. Where, then, is the spray released? Into the mouth of the radiator? Grateful for any enlightenment.

Member for

18 years 10 months

Posts: 4,796

Thanks to all for "spray bar" details. I'm not mechanical-minded and haven't seen a Spitfire up-close in a long time, so I must admit to confusion on the function of the bar. For cooling, I take it, on the ground? What is the liquid? I don't see obvious jets for the release of a spray. Might someone educate a very naive person? For example, in Mark12's last image, I see nothing obvious on the side of the metal bar facing the camera, and nothing on the flat bottom surface of the bar. No feeder pipes or hoses are visible to me. Where, then, is the spray released? Into the mouth of the radiator? Grateful for any enlightenment.

It's not spray bar, just an optical illusion in some pics.

As for actual spray bar set ups as used on Reno Unlimiteds, picture those oscillating lawn sprinklers that fit on the end of the garden hose fitted horizontally in front of the radiator. but with a much smaller tube dia & incapable of oscillating... or that oil feed tube Ford used on the 4cyl Pinto engine above the rockers (which resulted in knackered rockers when the holes got blocked causing them to clatter like diesels).

Member for

19 years 3 months

Posts: 376

OK. Not spray bars, just structural. I see that Mark12 said as much when he wrote, "Just part of the standard structure on all Spitfires".

Back in Canada at Fort St John, three stops on from Everett!

Member for

18 years 10 months

Posts: 4,796

Back in Canada at Fort St John, three stops on from Everett!

They certainly wouldn't want to stop any place there might be a chance of a dozen people actually seeing it, yanno, like BCAM or CMF etc..

Moved on to Fairbanks and apparently likely to be stuck there for several days awaiting better weather between there and Nome. After Nome - Russia! Everts Air Fuel are their hosts at Fairbanks.

Looking at Googlemaps there are around 50 piston transports visible on and around the airport, mostly hulks by the look of it...

Member for

19 years 3 months

Posts: 376

The Spitfire has successfully made the jump from Alaska in the US to Russia.
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That's what happens when one is sleeping!

Member for

24 years 2 months

Posts: 3,566

Looks like they almost on the opposite side of the globe to their staring point?...

Certainly west of the International Date Line which I think passes through the Bering Strait.

Member for

19 years 3 months

Posts: 376

Yes, right through the Bering Strait.

I suspect that a noticeable change in diet is in store for the travellers while in Russia, though they have been well-practiced at adapting their palates since departing Scotland.

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