Spitfire Photos by Brad Pilgrim

[Bill Greenwood]

Nice photos and memories in Brad's pictures. TE 308 is the RAF serial # when my plane was originally built as a single seat HF MKIX. I have it reg as N308WK. When Don Plumb owned it in Windsor, they covered the rear cockpit over so it looked like a single seater, just by removing the canopy and adding sheet metal . The Spit at EAA museum, ex Champlin has the same treatment, if one looks closely you can see the 2nd cockpit door. It doesn't look quite right as the front cockpit is too far(13") forward. See the shot of the takeoff. Don had the RAF shiny paint scheme. The next owner painted the WKC scheme pretty accurate for a late war high altitude day fighter. When I repainted it, we used a fairly, acurate low gloss, not quite flat. Since I could not find marking history from RAF service, I used the RJM designer's initials. Mitchell was in his 30's dying of cancer and with no computers produced, not only the definitive fighter of his day, but even now, 70 years on,perhaps the finest wing ever put on an airplane. The Rolls engine ain't bad either. There are now faster ones, but nothing sounds better. Mike Potter's SL721 was also with my plane as the Wood's in Az. I think a single seat Spit, particularly a V or IX is not only the best looking Warbird, but as nice as any plane. The large rear canopy on the 2 seat conversion hurts the lines, but I never had anyone fly with me that said they wished it was a one seater so they couldn' go. Mk297 was the CAF Mk IX in Douglas Bader scheme. I sat in it, but never got to fly it and it was lost in the Canada hangar fire with the Hurri, that fortunatley spared the Lanc. Those Breck airshow photos were from the halcyon days of Warbird shows, and no amount of jets or copters will equal them for me.

[AIRIC]

Great comments Bill. Now I know you flew Russell’s Mk.IX MK912 at Thunder which makes me curious at to how many other Spitfires have you flown?

Eric

[Ontario-Warbird]

perhaps the finest wing ever put on an airplane

If my history is correct, the thin ellipical wing was designed by Beverley Shenstone ( Canadian ) who was the aerodynamicist on the Mitchell's design team.



Mr. Woods in Sl721 Jerry Billing TE308

Cheers Dave C

[Steve T]

Dave--

Wow. SL721 in the early 70s with brick-red/slate-blue roundels. Mr Woods wasn't fooling around! (I wonder which was the first Spit to fly in civilian hands with the correct "dull" wartime insignia shades?) Beautiful shot, too.

Had never heard about the Shenstone connection with the Spit wing. Fascinating. That's probably the same Shenstone who co-designed the vintage Harbinger sailplane prototype now in the CAvM collection??

Cool threads, these...

S.

[Robbie Stuart]

Bill thanks for your insight & the background info your plane. I never made it to Breckenridge, but sure enjoyed other shows back in the early eighties with Merle, Howard, Fast Eddie, & all the other wonderfull folks in that era. It will never be like that again.
Robbie

[Bill Greenwood]

To Airic, how many Spitfires have I flown? Not enough!!!!!!, but really any one who ever gets any Spit time is lucky, especially since I was only a lucky civilian and no one was shooting at me. Actually three, my IX T, the XVI (CNG) that belonged to Bernie Jackson, and the Russel Group IX. I helped Bernie and his nephew Tom, a former RCAF Hornet pilot, get checked out in their's, and true to his word, Bernie gave me a flight in it. It had short wing tips and a Packard engine and flew nice; no harder to land than mine. I helped some folks in Denver got checked out, and I taxied their XVIII, but sadly it was lost and I never flew it. I'd love to fly a Griffon one, and especially an early lightweight one like the II or V, which are reputed to handle even better than the IX, not counting combat power. I've got about 1040 hours now, I'd guess Alex Henshaw or Jerry might have the most, possibly Paul Day.

[PeterA]

Dave--

Wow. SL721 in the early 70s with brick-red/slate-blue roundels. Mr Woods wasn't fooling around! (I wonder which was the first Spit to fly in civilian hands with the correct "dull" wartime insignia shades?) Beautiful shot, too.

Had never heard about the Shenstone connection with the Spit wing. Fascinating. That's probably the same Shenstone who co-designed the vintage Harbinger sailplane prototype now in the CAvM collection??

Cool threads, these...

S.

SL721 - Captured by the 'Roundel Police' before it was too late.

Unfortunately good old Don wanted Brown and Green with 'Type C' roundels, right or wrong, and when it is your aeroplane etc ....

PeterA

[corsair166b]

When I get home from the hills this evening I'll break out some air to airs I have of Bill's plane, shot at the Aspen airshow back in the mid 90's...some nice stuff I think....

Off now...working on a fly fishing article for a magazine and have to shoot some shots of the Thompson river here in N Colorado....

Mark

[Neil Medcalf]

Mr. Greenwood-
I remember seeing your plane at the Abbostford airshow many years ago. I belive Bud Granley flew it in the display. It was the first Spitfire I saw fly. I will alway remember it. It has such a lovely sound and a grace in the air. I was wondering if you would be bringing TE308 to the skys of Canada again soon? Here's a shot I took way back then. I hope you enjoy it.
Thanks
Neil Medcalf