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Classic Wings Magazine WWII Naval Aviation Research Pacific Luftwaffe Resource Center
When Hollywood Ruled The Skies - Volumes 1 through 4 by Bruce Oriss


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PostPosted: Fri Nov 16, 2018 10:55 am 
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One story in the files was that Mr. Wilcock was approached by the RAF to display SL721 at a BoB event. In exchange the RAF agreed to service her. They determined she was flyable and asked if he would let them fly her. He said no but agreed to run her up for them which he did. On the way home from the event his wife suggested they drive to the coast instead. On the way a Spitfire flew past them low to the ground, it was his. It's claimed he was not to upset at seeing her flying! This picture shows SL721 and Y-2K together in 2017.


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PostPosted: Fri Nov 16, 2018 11:14 am 
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The last time SL721 flew with our Hurricane IV and our MkIX at Vintage Wings.


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PostPosted: Fri Nov 16, 2018 4:45 pm 
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Always good to get feed back about other Spitfires K225. That hangar floor looks like you could eat a meal off it. The aircraft shown look like no expense has been spared.

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DADE


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PostPosted: Sat Nov 17, 2018 12:18 am 
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W.S. Shackleton Ltd letter dated 27/4/1959 saying cargo was at the King George V Dock, London and will depart on the 12/5/1959. The aircraft arrived on the 10/06/1959 on the ship the S.S. Queensland Star, and a Mr Bob Ashley offered to assemble the Spitfire in Perth for the Association as his experience was on Spitfires in the R.A.F. from 1946 to 1951 covering Marks IV to IX, XIV and XXIV. The aircraft arrived in a big wooden box at the Royal Flying Club at Perth Airport. Due to it being mounted on a plinth/pole, the weight had to be reduced and the seat, instrument panel, controls, control cables, wiring, balance weights, etc, were removed. Four new bolts were manufactured by Vickers Hoskins for attaching the wings, also four 20mm cannon barrels were also manufactured by them. Repairs were made to the fuselage that had been damaged after it fell from trestles in England. A tubular structure had arrived with the aircraft and that was fitted so that the engine cowl rails, cowls, exhausts and the propeller and spinner assembly could be installed. The aircraft was fitted to the pole via the undercarriage mounts by a u shaped mount and two rear supports were installed from the drop tank support on the fuselage to the pole.

Why did they have the Spitfire mounted on a plinth/pole diving at an angle of 30 to 40 degrees down and starboard wing low, while in the late fifties most WW2 aircraft were placed on their undercarriages in a parked position ? Putting the Spitfire above ground, plus one wing low and with the look of flying not only removed the plane from being vandalised but to a photographer you can gain from all angles the photos that covered all aspects of the design and contours of the aircraft. This plinth/pole is in 2018 still being used on a fibreglass Spitfire replica and looks to be still holding this plane up for a long time yet. Compared to some aircraft today with a pole up the rear end of them and the front leaping into the air, it has a more dignified and not painful look that would make anything leap into the air.

Due to the location of the Association Villa in the centre of the City and with multi storey offices being built all around it, the association was now finding that their gamble of buying the Villa years earlier was going to pay off due to the value of the land going up. They sold these premises and bought land in Bullcreek, Perth. This allowed them to further their aims of not only having an Association Headquarters, but having a retirement village and care centre to further their welfare charter for ex service people. The Spitfire was removed from its plinth/pole and plane and plinth/pole transferred to Bullcreek and put back on display.

As the Spitfire arrived in Australia without a Rolls Royce Griffon engine, during 1991 a Mr Peter Wood of the company in Britain called Westwood Portway Group wanted Rolls Royce Kestrel Reduction Gear and would be happy to swap it for Griffon engine parts of crankcase (ex Griffon 58),Sump, 2 Banks( Skirts, similar to Griffon 66), 2 Cylinder heads Ex 58, 2 damaged Griffon 66 cam boxes , plus a box made up of various parts. A lucky encounter with a pilot from Cathay Pacific Airlines led to the Kestrel parts being sent to Britain free of charge. A long period of time from when the Kestrel parts arrived in Britain to the Griffon engine being dispatched to Australia, created an anxiety that was felt by the Association as they thought it was not going to happen and they may have written off the Kestrel Reduction Gear as a lost cause. A letter to a friend in the U.K. had him check out the position of the Griffon engine parts. It was found that the parts were going to be dispatched by June 1993, it had been hard making up the Griffon kit of parts. Mr Wood did honour his side of the agreement and we have a static Rolls Royce Griffon on display to this day in 2018.


Last edited by DADE on Sat Nov 17, 2018 2:07 am, edited 1 time in total.

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PostPosted: Sat Nov 17, 2018 12:23 am 
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PostPosted: Sat Nov 17, 2018 12:29 am 
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PostPosted: Sat Nov 17, 2018 12:48 am 
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A moment in time for two beautiful aircraft. Supermarine Spitfire MK22, PK481 and the Qantas Lockheed Constellation VH-EAK parked in front of the hangar belonging to the Australian National Airways at Perth Airport, Western Australia


Last edited by DADE on Mon Nov 19, 2018 3:29 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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PostPosted: Sat Nov 17, 2018 9:37 am 
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Due to the wide spread knowledge of the fund for the Spitfire and the setting up of the Spitfire as a monument , several articles in the local newspapers came from various places. A story appeared in the Weekend News article of 21/2/59 concerning the fact that an electrical person that was installing the lights on the displayed Spitfire was none other than an ex Luftwaffe, Oberfahnrish Helmut Fehse, an Iron Cross recipient who flew FW190 planes on the Russian front. Another Daily news article of 5/3/59 concerned the fact that allied prisoners of war in Stalag 383 provided money to buy a Spitfire during WW2. They communicated by code to Britain to release money that the Germans thought was for their families funds, but was actually put towards buying the Spitfire called ''Unshackled Spirit''. Today this is in book form by author Colin Pateman, published in 2012 and the title is of the name of that aircraft. Another article in the weekend mail of 14/2/59 was about an old recluse Perth lady that handed over 18,750 pounds for two Spitfires and one trainer aircraft. Another part of the article mentioned the fact that wartime Spitfire funds had the effect of withdrawing purchasing power, thus keeping prices of food, clothing, etc in check and also saved the country from going over to the German marks.


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PostPosted: Sat Nov 17, 2018 9:40 am 
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PostPosted: Sat Nov 17, 2018 9:53 am 
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PostPosted: Sun Nov 18, 2018 6:42 am 
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K225 wrote:
One story in the files was that Mr. Wilcock was approached by the RAF to display SL721 at a BoB event. In exchange the RAF agreed to service her. They determined she was flyable and asked if he would let them fly her. He said no but agreed to run her up for them which he did. On the way home from the event his wife suggested they drive to the coast instead. On the way a Spitfire flew past them low to the ground, it was his. It's claimed he was not to upset at seeing her flying!


In September 1958 the aircraft was loaned to RAF Thorney Island for the Battle of Britain display and it is reported to have been flown, with pilot unknown! With the logistics of making SL721 airworthy in such a short time, unofficially, and with the attendant risk, this rumour should be confined to folklore.

If a Spitfire was seen it would probably have been Mk VIII MT818/G-AIDN, also overall blue, based just 20 odd miles away at Eastleigh.

PeterA


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PostPosted: Sun Nov 18, 2018 9:40 am 
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Good morning PeterA. We are missing your expertise on the https://forum.keypublishing.com


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PostPosted: Wed Nov 21, 2018 1:56 pm 
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And there's this. https://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-October-1966-Radio-Control-RC-Modeler-Magazine-Nationals-Mo-Jo/163371939995?hash=item2609b9f89b:g:WeoAAOSwBNdbvjt5:rk:28:pf:0

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