Flying Legends - Dark and Lonely work

PeterA · **Posted:** Wed Jul 16, 2014 5:22 am

The weather looked pretty grim for the early Sunday morning press call.

I was keen to capture the latest Mk I Spitfire N3200 in all its glory for the first time.

God bless photoshop.

PeterA

..and here in formation uniquely with the other three airworthy Mk I Spitfires in the world, AR213, X4650 & P9374, later in the day.

Both N3200 and P9374 are fitted with the original hand pump undercarriage retraction system...hard work in a formation take off.

Mike · **Joined:** Tue May 04, 2004 8:54 am **Posts:** 3331

Very nice Peter, and good to see you there.

I really should have got up earlier and attended the photocall - I never realised that they went to all that trouble to tow away the parked GA aircraft in order to give the photographers an unobstructed background! :wink:

PeterA · **Posted:** Wed Jul 16, 2014 5:45 am

Mike wrote:

I never realised that they went to all that trouble to tow away the parked GA aircraft in order to give the photographers an unobstructed background! :wink:

Mike. You just have to ask nicely. It was 08:00 with just nine GA aircraft.

PeterA

Invader26 · **Joined:** Wed Aug 11, 2010 7:56 am **Posts:** 843

PA, thanks for posting those wonderful photos.

Richard W. · **Posted:** Wed Jul 16, 2014 7:56 am

Just gorgeous.

May I ask about the camouflage patterns? In the formation photo, the top 2 both have one scheme for the brown and green, while the bottom two have a different, matching scheme.

Why is that?

Mike · **Joined:** Tue May 04, 2004 8:54 am **Posts:** 3331

PeterA wrote:

Mike wrote:

I never realised that they went to all that trouble to tow away the parked GA aircraft in order to give the photographers an unobstructed background! :wink:

Mike. You just have to ask nicely. It was 08:00 with just nine GA aircraft.

PeterA

A shame they wouldn't move the PC-12 from the far end of the field though.

Taylor Stevenson · **Posted:** Wed Jul 16, 2014 8:01 am

Also, what's the story with the different fuselage roundels? I know the roundel discussion can take pages, but just a birds-eye view on why three Mk. I's would have three different roundels.

Pardon my RAF ignorance. SEAC roundels are easy

Lightjug · **Posted:** Wed Jul 16, 2014 8:22 am

Nice pictures as always Peter. One of these years I'd like to meet up... and thanks for the photoshop chuckle :lol:

Mark

JDK · **Posted:** Wed Jul 16, 2014 8:33 am

Nice.

Richard W. wrote:

May I ask about the camouflage patterns? In the formation photo, the top 2 both have one scheme for the brown and green, while the bottom two have a different, matching scheme.

Why is that?

It's actually the same scheme, but was applied in alternate 'mirror' format before the war, alternating on serial number 'flips'. When wartime production got going the mirror system was dropped as a complication.

Taylor Stevenson wrote:

Also, what's the story with the different fuselage roundels? I know the roundel discussion can take pages, but just a birds-eye view on why three Mk. I's would have three different roundels.

Very short answer is different unit-level interpretations on how to add the required yellow ring to the existing roundel.

Plus a change to the red-white-blue proportions, and these aren't representative of either the same point in time or scheme standard (note the underside schemes - not visible here - also vary.)

How 'uniform' ~ isn't.

And don't miss the diamond gas detection patch on the wing of one Spitfire.

Regards,

Richard W. · **Posted:** Wed Jul 16, 2014 9:33 am

I'll be damned.

I can see the mirror pattern now. Neat. Thanks JDK.

JohnTerrell · **Posted:** Wed Jul 16, 2014 10:19 am

Great photos, Peter! I still remember, in awe, these photos you shared of P9374 three(!) years ago: http://forum.keypublishing.com/showthre ... 9374/page8

A bottom-view shot of that formation would probably lead to even more confusion by those not familiar with the changes that occurred from early 1940 through to late 1940. For instance, N3200 doesn't even have roundels on the bottom of the wings, and the white/black lower surfaces only include the wings, where as on P9374, the white/black lower surfaces includes the fuselage and horizontal tail surfaces. The two other Spitfires in the formation have the later standard over-all sky lower surfaces. All of the paint schemes are amongst the most well-researched and executed you will see on any warbird flying today, but all are a little different due to the various time periods and specific aircraft histories reflected.

It is remarkable to see N3200 reborn, and based again at its former 19-Sqd. airfield.

Some gorgeous air-to-air photos by John Dibbs of N3200 and P9374 flying together here:
http://www.planepicture.com/photos/larg ... t1q053.jpg
http://www.flyinglegends.com/medias/201 ... -Pic-1.jpg

Taylor Stevenson · **Posted:** Wed Jul 16, 2014 12:36 pm

Thanks for the confirmation, James. Figured as much.

I was wondering about the diamond... too cool!

T

Firebird · **Posted:** Wed Jul 16, 2014 3:54 pm

What is different mechanically with N3200 compared to the other Mk1's...?

It seemed to make a very distinctive whine sound compared to the other 3 :?:

PeterA · **Posted:** Wed Jul 16, 2014 4:39 pm

Firebird wrote:

What is different mechanically with N3200 compared to the other Mk1's...?

It seemed to make a very distinctive whine sound compared to the other 3 :?:

N3200 and P9374 are identical.

There are engine variations and propeller variations on AR213 and X4650.

PeterA

JohnTerrell · **Posted:** Wed Jul 16, 2014 5:20 pm

The whistle is quite loud/distinctive on N3200, as heard in this video from a recent display at Old Warden (its solo display starts after 7:10): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z_GdIp2fQbI

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