Spitfire on trailer. Movie prop?

[Elwyn]

Check out the first few seconds of this video and see if you recognize the aircraft. I'm guessing if it were a real plane with an engine it would have to be supported a little more robustly.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UWydNvTvD44

[Chris Brame]

[JohnTerrell]

Painted in the markings for the movie "Dunkirk".

Looks rather like the replica also in Dunkirk movie markings displayed at the Planes of Fame/Chino, but is not the same one (among other things, the port-side of the windscreen isn't cut-up as is in the replica/mock-up seen on the trailer):
https://www.flickr.com/photos/116696583 ... 91/sizes/l

[Zac Yates]

I would guess it's one of the replicas built by Gateguards for Dunkirk.

[T6flyer]

I would guess it's one of the replicas built by Gateguards for Dunkirk.

Correct....one of the two Spitfires (together with the VR cockpit) that we built for the film. Good to see that it has survived. Believe the other one broke it's back when it hit the water, whilst filming.

Martin
GateGuardsUK
Facebook - Gateguards - UK

[PeterA]

...and one burnt on the beach at the end of the film. The one with 'broom-stick' drive from the fire wall.

PeterA

[JohnB]

So, doing the math...if two were made and one burned on the beach (really, the broomstick was laughable, next time stick a scrap Jaguar V-12 from a MOT failure XJ-S in one, yes it's too small, but better than a broomstick) and one survived, then one really didn't break during filming?

Any idea what it's doing in California?

[Chris Brame]

Checked the street view with Google and it looks like they're on the southbound Hollywood Freeway (101) near Vermont Avenue - which is heading away from the studios. Maybe they were taking it downtown toward the Natural History Museum, which has an outdoor aviation display? Or maybe farther east, out to Chino?

[Warbirdnerd]

Here is another Spitfire replica for Dunkirk, built in Las Vegas, could it be this one?
http://scrogginsaviation.com/scroggins- ... e-dunkirk/

[T6flyer]

Now I am confused

I joined Gateguards after the two Spitfires were built here. I have just been told that one went to Holland and then to France for filming and one went to America. Both left here just painted in primer, the camouflage and markings being applied elsewhere. Will show the photos and the film to our craftsmen and hopefully, they will be able to work out which one is which?

On one of the posters, with the aircraft in the sea, I have been informed that was one of ours, due to it's slightly bent nose... The molds for these have now been discarded and we are now working on a new plug based on just one Spitfire - AR213/G-AIST. If one of ours does exist in the States, we can easily make new parts to make it complete and all from these new accurate molds. Be a shame for it to remain just a fuselage.

And then what happened to the VR cockpit. Hopefully, that has gone to a good home somewhere. Who knows?

Martin Pengelly
Researcher/Archivist
GateGuardsUK

[Elwyn]

https://www.facebook.com/MomentsCapture ... =3&theater
It seems to take a few seconds for the image to pop up. Looks like one side is coded 9632 and the other side is coded 9612.

Last edited by Elwyn on Sun Aug 27, 2017 9:19 am, edited 2 times in total.

[ZRX61]

Martin Pengelly
Researcher/Archivist
GateGuardsUK

I went to school in Torpoint with a Martin Pengelly in the mid '70's... but given the "By Tre, Pol & Pen shall ye know all Cornishmen" thing it's not exactly a rare name. I come from good pirate Jago stock

[T6flyer]

Martin Pengelly
Researcher/Archivist
GateGuardsUK

I went to school in Torpoint with a Martin Pengelly in the mid '70's... but given the "By Tre, Pol & Pen shall ye know all Cornishmen" thing it's not exactly a rare name. I come from good pirate Jago stock

I am from Looe stock, but living in Landrake. Believe from conversations before, you are from Downderry/St. Germans a couple of miles away. Small world aviation!

Still trying to figure out which Spitfire is which. Will hopefully confirm later today. Think I need to go and see how they are actually built, rather than keeping my head in the books every day, with people asking me 'whats the size of this?', 'what colour is that?', etc etc.

Cheers,

Martin

[T6flyer]

Just been informed by the Managing Director of GateGuards and a few of the staff, that the Spitfire at Chino is one of our products. As to the other one, it appears to be the same aircraft and modified by Scroggins as the internal bodywork is identical to the Spitfires we create. To illustrate this, one of our Craftsmen took the elevators off a new Spitfire project - a unrequired Dunkirk airframe and all the metal work matches. I presume, that Scroggins worked their magic and re-worked ours to the standards required for the film?

I would have known more, if I was working for the Company then. But yes, the Chino one is one of ours. Have emailed them to ask if they need anything to produce a complete airframe. Everything is here, so would be easy to do. I wonder where our VR Simulator disappeared to?

Best wishes to all,

Martin