Saturday Saunter...

Just for a change, and on the off-chance something different may arrive to do Spitfire flights, I ventured out to Duxford. Something different in two seater configuration did appear, as well as Spitfire T9 MJ627 to carry out her duties with Classic Wings.

 

T9 parade...

The amazing sight of five Spitfire T9s lined up for inspection at Biggin Hill Heritage Hangar.
Two new additions to the strength of airworthy T9s - ML295 marked as DB⦿M (RCAF No. 411 “Grizzly Bear” Sqn) and BS410 as PK⦿A (315 (City of Dęblin) Polish Fighter Sqn) - joined TE308, MJ627 and T8 MT818 on the flightline at Biggin Hill. 

These latest aircraft brings the total of Spitfire returned to flight by BHHH to 14!

Images The Two-Seat Spitfire Page

©Greg Davis

©Greg Davis

A Friday float...

Working Friday for a change and some warbirds present on the airfield...
The subtle difference in the canopy extension of Hurricane Heritage's Hurricane T.XII(Modified) two-seater BE505, can be seen when compared to that of their MkI R4118. 

T9 PV202 emerged today to blow away the dust after a few weeks in ARCo for servicing and T9 PT462 was active with SSAC trips.
 

 

Two Seat Roundup...

(Originally posted :: TUESDAY, 10 APRIL 2018)
Someone asked me the other day how many two seat Spitfires there are,  so I drew up this brief list...

The surviving original two seaters are:
T8 Vickers Prototype (from MkVIII)
MT818 (Vickers Canopy) Airworthy UK

T9 Vickers  (from MkIX) (Irish Air Corps)
MJ627 (158)(Vickers Canopy) Airworthy UK
MJ772 (159) (Vickers Canopy) Under Repair UK
PV202 (161)(Vickers Canopy) Airworthy UK
ML407 (162)(Grace In Line Canopy Conversion) Airworthy UK
TE308 (163) (Vickers Canopy) USA damaged

T9 Vickers (Indian Air Force)
ML417 (HS543) now reverted to single seat MkIX Airworthy USA

The T9 "Modern" conversions are:
PT462 (“Grace” Canopy) Airworthy UK
SM520 (Vickers Canopy) Airworthy UK
NH431 (Vickers Canopy) Airworthy UK
MH367 (“Grace” Canopy) Airworthy NZ

UPDATED LIST 29/5/21

8/4/22

In the four years since I first drew up the list above, the strength of two-seat Spitfires has increased and one (TE308/163) has now returned to the UK and restored to airworthy status in new squadron markings. So now all but one of the surviving Irish Air Corps T9 Spitfires are resident and operating in the UK.
MJ772/159 recently moved to the Netherlands and is being operated by the "Spitfires Flying Vintage Everyday" foundation.

Airworthy

1. MT818 No Codes - operated by Biggin Hill Heritage Hangar 

2. MH367 FL⦿A - operated by Warbird Adventure Rides Ltd (NZ)

3. MJ627 9G⦿Q 🇮🇪 158 - operated by Biggin Hill Heritage Hangar

4. MJ772 GW⦿A 🇮🇪159 - operated by SFVE foundation (NL)

5. ML407 OU⦿V 🇮🇪 162 - operated by Ultimate Warbird Flights

6. NH341 DB⦿E - operated by Aero Legends 

7. PT462 SW⦿A - operated by Aerial Collective

8. PV202 5R⦿H 🇮🇪 161 - operated by Aerial Collective

9. SM520 KJ⦿I - operated by Spitfires.com

10. TE308 ZP⦿W 🇮🇪 163 - operated by Biggin Hill Heritage Hangar

11. ML295 DB⦿M - Airworthy at Biggin Hill Heritage Hangar (flown 8/4/22?)

12. BS410 PK⦿A - Owned by Martin Philips/operated by Spitfires.com (flown 8/4/22?)

(🇮🇪 Former Irish Air Corps aircraft)

Under Restoration

13. EN570 FY⦿J - (G/M) Being restored for Norwegian Flying Aces by Airframe Assemblies Ltd

14. No14  ??⦿? - Being restored Biggin Hill Heritage Hangar

15. BS548 ??⦿? - (G/M) Being restored by Airframe Assemblies Ltd for Ross Pay

16. MJ444 2I⦿? - Being restored by Airframe Assemblies Ltd for Aero Legends

17. TE566  ??⦿? -Being restored by Airframe Assemblies Ltd for Enstone

18. MJ518 ??⦿? - Indian Air Force heritage flight
(G/M) = Grace/Melton type canopy

Saunter to spot some Spitfires...

A few photos from my P.M. perambulation. NH341, PT462, BM597, BE505 & R4118 soaking up some welcomed warm sunshine...

Two Seat Hurricane for Duxford skies...

Aerial Collective have announced that Hurricane MkXII BE505, converted by Hawker Restorations to two seat, dual control configuration and marked up as a Mk IIB "Pegs" of 174 (Mauritius) Squadron in spring, 1942 and the world's only two seat Hurricane, has joined their fleet of aircraft in a joint venture with Hurricane Heritage and will operate from Duxford and White Waltham. Photographed at Biggin Hill Heritage Hangar May 2021

Vulcan afternoon, Thunderbolt evening...

Helping out with the 'follow-up' photo shoot event for the one abandoned due to inclement weather in October 2020, I spent the first couple of hours 'stewarding' the access for photographers into the cockpit of Avro Vulcan B.2A XJ824 in Airspace. The cockpit was illuminated with a couple of lights which didn't really help with the iPhone snaps I took...
It was March 1982 when XJ824 landed for the last time at Duxford and it is the 40th anniversary year of Operation Blackbuck during the Falklands War.

Later, the event repositioned outside and I had the opportunity to grab a few photos as the sun set behind Hangar 3 and later when Republic P-47 Thunderbolt 'Nellie B' was positioned for a night run.

Biggin Hill's Mustang option...

FlyaSpitfire.com at Biggin Hill Heritage Hangar have announced that passenger flights in their recently acquired P-51D Mustang 44-13779/WD★C are now available.

This P-51D (C/N 122-40417 S/N 44-73877) was constructed in 1944 but did not see combat in WW2. In 1951 it was transferred to the RCAF and SOC in 1958 after which it went through several different owners.

Until its current scheme of 44-13779/WD★C of 4th FG/335th FS, the personal aircraft of Col. Don Blakeslee commanding officer of the 4th FG, it was painted up as a Mustang IV, of No.112 Sqdn. KH774 GA-S (44-11602), flown by Lt Blanchford 6/5/45 and nicknamed 'Sharkmouth'.

Prior to that, it wore the scheme of P-51D 44-14450 'Old Crow' for many years. 'Old Crow' was the personal aircraft of Colonel Bud Anderson of the 363rd FS/357th FG, a leading WW2 USAAF ace with 161⁄4 aerial victories.

The aircraft was fitted with a jump seat behind the pilot's seat in the space normally occupied by the 85 gallon fuel tank but is not fitted with the dual controls of the TF-51D.

Scheme timeline (as seen in UK)

Duxford In A Different Light - The Spitfire Special"

 Worked this event and snapped a few images when I could...

First saunter of 2022

Weather looking good, I took the opportunity for a drive down to Duxford for a couple of hours...
Spitfire T9 PT462 was returning from making someone happy, Hurricane V7497 flew as did the TFC Wildcat/Martlet "JV579".
Another peek at the Spitfire exhibition as well...