How did he do that

[Chelsea14Ian]

How did he do that, Spitfire lands at Bexleyheath. It was there taking part in the poppy appeal along with many others.I am doing my bit, Monday evening at Sainsbury. 

 

Ian

[Rincewind]

Beautiful aircraft...

[BroadScot]

Simples! Its a BIG Airfix Kit!  Or more than likely a folding wing one that is moved around the country on a lorry.

Iain.

[GeoffandWendy]

You were almost right Iain, a sort of kit, but definitely not Airfix.  

If I remember right, the wings, bolt on to the fuselage, very much the same as the one in Hanley (Stoke-on-Trent) that stands permanently inside a glass building outside the Museum, as a tribute to Mitchell who was born in Stoke and was the designer the Spitfire. It is obviously a non flying version. like the one in Hanley and will have no engine installed, just dummy exhausts and propeller. There are several of these Spitfires about, that are moved around the country, just for display purposes.

[BroadScot]

Hi Geoff,

I seem to remember the men at Elvington/York Air Museum - deffo worth a visit IMHO - saying some mock ups had lawnmower engines in them to move them about! 

That was done for the "statics" in the Battle of Britain film.

Iain.

[Guest]

Yes, as Geoff&Wendy has said, I remember seeing one on the Isle of Wight a few years ago, in the centre of Newport.

I was fascinated to see how small it packed away on the RAF trailer at the end of the exhibition. About the same size as a regular artic.

http://forum.keypublishing.com/showthread.php?31733-RAF-Queen-Mary-Trailers

[ChrisB]

I believe these aircraft were called Seafires ( taken from sea and spitfire) and were used by the French and Canadians as well as the RN.

[BroadScot]

Said Seafire...  Different prop?

Edited October 26, 2015 by BroadScot

[JennyMorgan]

There were some remarkably convincing fiberglass replicas, either as gate wardens or exhibits, built near Oulton Broad a few years ago. 

[diesel falcon]

Reminds me of a time when i was an apprentice at raf wittering, no1 squadron had a night watchmen spitfire, for one big bash in the sgts mess we pushed it around the camp ,taking up sign posts to get it to the mess, it was the real thing thou ,and was soon nicked by the historic flight for "spares or repair"!!

[Guest]

There were some remarkably convincing fiberglass replicas, either as gate wardens or exhibits, built near Oulton Broad a few years ago. 

They're still made quite locally Peter, at Catfield.

http://gbreplicas.com/

[BroadScot]

We had one of them like the pic Strowie, at the Heathfield Retail Park, as Heathfield had been a fighter pilot training base. It was also a base to service Liberator Bombers. Just one problem they had not thought of when erecting such a item was......the strong winds that wheeech up that part of town, being very close to Prestwick Airport. Sadly due to the many gales, over a period of time, the plane was damaged beyond repair, and for a while the Prop was left as a reminder.

Iain.