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Is this expensive for a Spitfire?


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Well if I had a licence to fly it and the money in the bank I wouldn’t hesitate. 

 

Thinking about it if I had the money in the bank - I proudly have an RAF pilot nephew who could I’m sure fly it after some conversion to aircraft type time.

 

Wonderful iconic aircraft. 

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Hello All

                 In this mad world seems like a snip!

Roger

ps do you get the brownings as well? now that would be fun!

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As it was originally restored by Charlie Church’s outfit and therefore worked on by an aeronautical  metal basher that I know from way back it will have been a good resto job. 

Edited by peejay4A
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$2.5m for a spit is a bargain if you consider what some of the other aircraft are being offered at on their web site - but with up to £100k running costs PA its not for the faint hearted.  Having said you could get a Hawker Sea Fury  for $750,000. now that is a bargain! 

Hoges 

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Slight thread drift but I was down at Lee-on-Solent today in glorious autumn sunshine, and heard the unmistakable sound of a Merlin engine overhead. A two-seater Spitfire was doing flights from Lee airfield (ex HMS Daedalus) with a few half-loops and rolls thrown in. Whoever picked today for their trips hit the jackpot I reckon.

Looks a bit expensive but one for the bucket list? :
http://www.boultbeeflightacademy.co.uk/spitfire-flights

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The Boultbee Spitfires have recently moved from Goodwood to Daedalus - due to an 'incident' I was told, but have no further info.

I don't know if they will come back to Goodwood - I miss seeing them as they used to fly out above us almost every (nice) day.

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I was talking to the Boultbee guys only the other week.  it seems the resurfacing of the runway at Goodwood last year combined with the very dry summer/ lack of rain this year has caused a lot of damage to the aircraft landing there. Apparently, the grass hasn't established itself very well and as a result stones are being thrown up into the underside of the A/C  and damaging the a/c skin and under-wing radiators.   The new flying club is also in a bit of a state as the roof leaks but it seems the architect has died and the contractor is stating they have only done what he told them to do.  As he isn't around anymore to argue the point i expect a big court case will ensue.  

hoges. 

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That's interesting Paul. We went up in a Goodwood Cessna last Wednesday - a birthday gift from me to Diana (who flew the plane for quite a bit of the 45 minutes we were up).

The runways are being worked on again - the pilot we were with said that the grass hadn't taken, and I can confirm the landing and take off (and taxi-ing) were extremely bumpy. It was him that mentioned the 'incident' - I imagine Boultbee not being happy if the Spitfires are getting damaged.

The Aeroclub building looks as if it has been rebuilt following the leaks/cracks, but not a lot was happening to finish it off - perhaps a sign that there is a problem?

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Look a bit closer Hoges, although a US site the asking price of 2.5M is £ not $. Still a bargain though for such an icon IMHO.

Tim

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It was a lot cheaper when it was sold off as surplus in 1946 for $50 ! ! ! Those were the days, if only we could look decades in front.

Mick Richards

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My dad told me that he bulldozed brand new Merlin engines still in the crate and a variety of other A/c stuff of the end of the old short runway at Gibralter  to act as hard core for the extension.      Duh!

but then my Dad had form on doing stuff like that. He turned down a brand new Mk3 GT40  road car when Ford were flogging them off for little more than £3k  and bought an Austin Maxi instead because he could run that on his company account. Ok it was the twin carb 1750 CC  version but what price a Maxi  now?   

hoges. 

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1 hour ago, Paul Hogan said:

My dad told me that he bulldozed brand new Merlin engines still in the crate and a variety of other A/c stuff of the end of the old short runway at Gibralter  to act as hard core for the extension.      Duh!

but then my Dad had form on doing stuff like that. He turned down a brand new Mk3 GT40  road car when Ford were flogging them off for little more than £3k  and bought an Austin Maxi instead because he could run that on his company account. Ok it was the twin carb 1750 CC  version but what price a Maxi  now?   

hoges. 

probably the MAXI is the rare one now compared to the GT40

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While the hatchback concept of the Maxi was well ahead of its time BL in their usual fashion didn't think it through.  To raise the back seat you had to open both rear doors as the door handles fouled the operation.  The rear seat back also always  fell backwards when you released the two catches that held it into place  when you actually wanted to push it forward. You either needed to grow a third hand  or headbutt  it forward!  As for the cable operated gear change, whoever thought that one up deserved to be shot! 

hoges. 

PS and just prove how bad my old Dad was  with cars he actually bought two of the damn things! 

Edited by Paul Hogan
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