Spitfire I flies (and bound for the US?)

[Dan K]

Flypast Forum is reporting the first flight of Spit I X4650 and that her current owners are in the US.

http://forum.keypublishing.com/showthread.php?t=115420

I don't follow the Spit movement too closely, but should we be expecting export/import shortly?

[Dan K]

...for whom me wonders? Online scuttlebutt says Friedkin family, but I don't know nuthin'. Will it come to Chino? - boy I hope so! Found a link to VMI Engineering showing work they did on it. http://vmiengineering.com/Spitfire-Mk-1-X4650

I see Tom Friedkin is apparently the recent buyer of Spit I AR213, but has the family truly acquired another? Time will tell, I suppose.

http://www.military-airshows.co.uk/spitaw.htm

[PeterA]

First and second flight images posted here.

http://forum.keypublishing.co.uk/showth ... 420&page=2

PeterA

[Dan K]

First and second flight images posted here.

http://forum.keypublishing.co.uk/showth ... 420&page=2

PeterA

Well, that confirms the Friedkins' involvment for me. Thank you, Mr. A!

Information floating about suggests at least one of the latest Spit I rebuilds is remaining on the Duxford side of the Pond for now. Anyone able to confirm one rumor over the other?

[lmritger]

A spectacular rebuild of one of Al Deere's "kills"! Aside from the simple but significant fact that it's a Mk I, for me the beauty of this aircraft lies in the completely plain and relatively anonymous markings which it actually wore during the war.

I have to be honest though- I still think the black/white undersurface scheme of P9374 is much, much more awesome. I wonder what the odds are of getting these two beauties aloft together before X4650 is crated and shipped westwards?

Lynn

[Zac Yates]

I'd like to see both the new restorations join AR213 in the air at some point...imagine that!

It looks like a beautiful restoration: every "new" Spitfire seems to set the benchmark a little higher for the one that follows. Outstanding

Now, if only someone could do Al's KL-B/"Kiwi"!

[Chappie]

Hmmm, I think there was an article about this restoration in FlyPast a few months back. Is Al Deere the guy who colllied with another Spit in a 'taka-taka-taka-taka'-style incident and after he bailed out of the aircraft it sprialed down to a pretty good belly landing near a river?

If this is it, I believe the article mentioned the Friedkin's.

Chappie

[PeterA]

I'd like to see both the new restorations join AR213 in the air at some point...imagine that!

It looks like a beautiful restoration: every "new" Spitfire seems to set the benchmark a little higher for the one that follows. Outstanding

Now, if only someone could do Al's KL-B/"Kiwi"!

It is in the pipeline for reconstruction.

The mortal remains were recovered and X4276 'Kiwi III' is registered G-CDGU. It is with the same outfit, 'The Spitfire Company', at Biggin Hill and will take its turn in due course.

It is all in that book...with images.

PeterA

[Zac Yates]

And that just made my day. Thank-you, Peter!

[me109g4]

Story is that KL-A collided with Al Deere's KL-B,, wasnt Deere's fault. The pilot of KL-A had it trimmed well enough that when he bailed out the plane did a leveled glide till it struck the bank of the river, and there it stayed. Beautiful restoration.