SoCal Wing's Spitfire

Dan Newcomb · **Posted:** Fri Mar 20, 2009 1:05 pm

Here is something for you Spitfire freaks. You can include me in that group. Yesterday she had her first gear swing in years. In a few weeks her new Griffon will be installed so we will have something to hang that big five blade on.

Crew chief Les Bedding was in the RAF during WWII in India and worked on Hurricanes and Spits.

51fixer · **Posted:** Fri Mar 20, 2009 1:17 pm

Cool.
What S/N and history on this one.
Imagine it is Mk 14?
Rich

steve dickey · **Posted:** Fri Mar 20, 2009 2:04 pm

51fixer wrote:

Cool.
What S/N and history on this one.
Imagine it is Mk 14?
Rich

Great news Dan, thanx for sharing

Rich;

http://www.warbirdregistry.org/spitregi ... nh749.html

PinecastleAAF · **Joined:** Fri May 25, 2007 4:50 pm **Posts:** 1028

Is this the Mk. 14 that was registered as G-FIRE and painted bright red at one time?

Dan Newcomb · **Posted:** Fri Mar 20, 2009 2:14 pm

I forgot I shot this vid a few years ago.

http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fusea ... ID=7521338

PeterA · **Posted:** Fri Mar 20, 2009 2:17 pm

Spitfire Mk XIV.

RAF Serial NH749 (N had to be deleted due to FAA civil conflict)

Ex David Price, Santa Monica.

PeterA

Warbirdnerd · **Joined:** Fri Apr 30, 2004 7:34 pm **Posts:** 2923

PinecastleAAF wrote:

Is this the Mk. 14 that was registered as G-FIRE and painted bright red at one time?

Nope. G-FIRE is this one:
http://www.warbirdregistry.org/spitregi ... nh904.html

And it is still bright red under the new paint scheme...

PeterA · **Posted:** Fri Mar 20, 2009 2:33 pm

Warbirdnerd wrote:

PinecastleAAF wrote:

Is this the Mk. 14 that was registered as G-FIRE and painted bright red at one time?

Nope. G-FIRE is this one:
http://www.warbirdregistry.org/spitregi ... nh904.html

And it is still bright red under the new paint scheme...

The current paint scheme of former G-FIRE. Enough to make a grown man cry. :cry:

What were they thinking?

PeterA

Dan Newcomb · **Posted:** Fri Mar 20, 2009 2:41 pm

I hope you all note that Crew Chief Les Bedding actually worked on these planes in the war. The Spit has been parked next to the PBJ for a few years and it gives me chills when I walk past it on a foggy day and hear two transplanted Brits, Les and son Colin, discussing their work. Two Englishmen working on the quintessential English airplane. Marvelous!

Dan

PeterA · **Posted:** Fri Mar 20, 2009 2:53 pm

Here is a shot I took on the first post restoration test flight in the UK. Cranfield in the UK. 9th April 1983...through murky perspex.

Although the paint scheme looked strange to many, it is totally accurate, representing a livery from RAF South East Asia Command.

As SM969, this is an ex Indian Air Force machine.

PeterA

Mark V · **Posted:** Fri Mar 20, 2009 5:54 pm

PeterA wrote:

Here is a shot I took on the first post restoration test flight in the UK. Cranfield in the UK. 9th April 1983...through murky perspex.

Although the paint scheme looked strange to many, it is totally accurate, representing a livery from RAF South East Asia Command.

And something of an accurate paint scheme pioneer back then too.

Jim Beasley · **Posted:** Fri Mar 20, 2009 9:28 pm

"thank you come again"

PeterA wrote:

As SM969, this is an ex Indian Air Force machine.

PeterA

Jim Beasley · **Posted:** Fri Mar 20, 2009 9:30 pm

Congrats all this is fantastic. Make sure you keep us advised as to the progress. Looking forward to seeing her fly again. jb

Dan Newcomb wrote:

Here is something for you Spitfire freaks. You can include me in that group. Yesterday she had her first gear swing in years. In a few weeks her new Griffon will be installed so we will have something to hang that big five blade on.

Crew chief Les Bedding was in the RAF during WWII in India and worked on Hurricanes and Spits.

51fixer · **Posted:** Fri Mar 20, 2009 10:21 pm

PeterA wrote:

Spitfire Mk XIV.

RAF Serial NH749 (N had to be deleted due to FAA civil conflict)

Ex David Price, Santa Monica.

PeterA

Thanks for the info.
I was wondering if this was Price's at one time.
I remember when this was flown out of Chino. I believe it was stood up on it's nose on the runway at Chino during a POF airshow many years ago.
Rich

Chad Veich · **Posted:** Fri Mar 20, 2009 11:25 pm

51fixer wrote:

Thanks for the info.
I was wondering if this was Price's at one time.
I remember when this was flown out of Chino. I believe it was stood up on it's nose on the runway at Chino during a POF airshow many years ago.
Rich

I was at that Chino show and, as I recall, it was Price's Mk.IX and not the XIV that went up on it's nose.

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