Spitfire hulk at Oshkosh 1979, ever restored?
Sat Jun 14, 2008 9:43 pm
Hi,
In my slide scanning lately, I came across this shot of a Spitfire that was displayed at Oshkosh 1979 in order to raise funds. Anyone have a clue as to what happened to it?
Rich
In my slide scanning lately, I came across this shot of a Spitfire that was displayed at Oshkosh 1979 in order to raise funds. Anyone have a clue as to what happened to it?
Rich
Sat Jun 14, 2008 10:11 pm
Rich--
Interesting pic. The aircraft appears to be an Indian AF Mk.XVIII; it's just a semi-educated guess, but I'm thinking this may be either TP280 or TP298, one of which is now owned and flown by Rudy Frasca in Illinois while the other was lost in a tragic crash in Montana (?) circa 1995. I'll hazard a further guess that it's the Frasca airplane, simply because Mr Frasca is a very regular Oshkosh attendee...
Over to the Spitfire-provenance experts!
S.
Interesting pic. The aircraft appears to be an Indian AF Mk.XVIII; it's just a semi-educated guess, but I'm thinking this may be either TP280 or TP298, one of which is now owned and flown by Rudy Frasca in Illinois while the other was lost in a tragic crash in Montana (?) circa 1995. I'll hazard a further guess that it's the Frasca airplane, simply because Mr Frasca is a very regular Oshkosh attendee...
Over to the Spitfire-provenance experts!
S.
Sat Jun 14, 2008 11:25 pm
Cool, makes sense! Was that crash that long ago, wow. Of course, my brain still thinks that 1995 was 3-4 years ago. Sheesh.
Rich
Rich
In Missouri for a while
Sun Jun 15, 2008 12:00 am
Could this be one of the ones from Burma? I think a few of the warbirds that came out of Burma a few years ago were on display at Oshkosh. Some of the planes wound up here in Missouri but I do not remember the details. I've often wondered what became of those planes. Anyone know more?
Sun Jun 15, 2008 1:06 am
TP276, possibly?
Certainly not a Burmese one. Clearly wearing Indian markings, and none of the Burmese ones were low-backs.
Certainly not a Burmese one. Clearly wearing Indian markings, and none of the Burmese ones were low-backs.
Sun Jun 15, 2008 1:35 am
The pictured aircraft is Rudy Frasca's Spitfire Mk.XVIII TP276.
Taken from Spitfire Survivors round the world by Gordon Riley & Graham Trant, page 195:
"[...] it was exhibited at the 1979 EAA Fly-in at Oshkosh [...]
Taken from Spitfire Survivors round the world by Gordon Riley & Graham Trant, page 195:
"[...] it was exhibited at the 1979 EAA Fly-in at Oshkosh [...]
Sun Jun 15, 2008 4:20 am
Yup the crash was even longer ago than that. May 1994. TP 298.
John
John
India not Burma
Sun Jun 15, 2008 9:16 am
My error. The Burma fin flash is Yellow, White, Blue and they do not use roundels on the fuselage and wings, they use a triangle. On top of all that, 1979 is well before the Burma airplanes came out. I should return to my old rules. No posting after 12:00 AM and no posting while drinking. 
Sun Jun 15, 2008 12:59 pm
No crash.
This is one of two Spitfires acquired by Rudy Frasca from the Haydon-Baillies, both ex Indian Air Force decoy aircraft.
TP280 flies, TP276 in the photo at Oshkosh 1979, is still retained and in the restoration process.
PeterA
This is one of two Spitfires acquired by Rudy Frasca from the Haydon-Baillies, both ex Indian Air Force decoy aircraft.
TP280 flies, TP276 in the photo at Oshkosh 1979, is still retained and in the restoration process.
PeterA
Sun Jun 15, 2008 1:02 pm
Mike wrote:TP276, possibly?
Certainly not a Burmese one. Clearly wearing Indian markings, and none of the Burmese ones were low-backs.
Mike,
Are you absolutely sure about that?
Peter
Sun Jun 15, 2008 2:29 pm
Looks like red,white and green.From Italy ?
Always thought India was orange ,white and green.
Rick
Always thought India was orange ,white and green.
Rick
Sun Jun 15, 2008 3:00 pm
It is orange. Ex Barackpore, near Calcutta.
PeterA
PeterA