Grumman Gosling - Airfix 1/72

[jrlx]

Congrats for the successful Spit flight, Ced! Very envious

 

Cheers

 

Jaime

 

[philp]

Very cool Ced.  Glad the weather held.

 

I have had a couple trips in B-17s and got a little stick time in a T-6 but a Spit, that would be awesome.

[Fatboydim]

Great photo Ced, glad you enjoyed yourself. 

[Grandboof]

If you haven't already you may wish to the removing the lugs for locating the nacelles to the wing. I found it made for a better alignment. Entirely your choice.Looking forward to more progress A ride in a Spit  Well done

Martin H

[Procopius]

6 hours ago, CedB said:

Flew her myself down (part of) the Solent.

 

You've lived the dreams of millions upon millions of small boys since 1936. Couldn't have happened to a nicer fellow. (And I'm only a teeny-tiny bit jealous.)

[Stew Dapple]

20 minutes ago, Procopius said:

 

You've lived the dreams of millions upon millions of small boys since 1936. Couldn't have happened to a nicer fellow. (And I'm only a teeny-tiny bit jealous.)

 

What my esteemed associate said. Nice job Ced, glad you had a good one

 

Cheers,

 

Stew

[Biggles87]

41 minutes ago, Procopius said:

 

You've lived the dreams of millions upon millions of small boys since 1936. Couldn't have happened to a nicer fellow. (And I'm only a teeny-tiny bit jealous.)

 

Well said PC, I'll second that. How long did it take for the big grin to fade?

 

Waiting impatiently for the video

 

John

[Grey Beema]

Great to see you took the flight Ced.  I too have had the pleasure of taking G-ILDA to heaven and back.  I would recommend it to anyone.  

 

Even though it's two years later you can't help but grin when you think back to it.  For those that don't know the grin starts as you strap in.  As the engine starts it gets bigger and when you are inverted it gets even wider.  You can't help but feeling a smug b'stard....

 

[Beard]

You lucky, lucky, lucky (etc) man.

[CedB]

Thanks Chris, Bill, Jaime, Phil, Joe, PC, Stew, John, Simon and Grey. Hopefully the video will be up soon

I've taken lots of pictures of G-ILDA and have the AZ kit ready to go. I'll start a new thread and post the pictures there when I start it, hopefully soon. I'll post a link here, of course.

 

PC's right when he says that the flight was living a dream for me. I know many here share my love of the aircraft, an interest in its history and respect for the people that flew them. I must remember though that not everyone 'gets it' and not bore people too much! As Grey says it's hard not to be smug and I apologise in advance if sharing the experience comes across like that; not meant as a boast, of course, it's just that I was taught to share my toys.

 

Also like Grey I'd recommend it to anyone, but make sure you check the restrictions before you book - she's very tight for chaps like me and two of the people there yesterday couldn't fly; one over 17 stone (too heavy) and the other too, er, 'portly' and the pilot couldn't get 'full and free' movement on the elevators. There's a 6'4" height limit too. We all felt really sorry for them; even though they got a full refund this was no compensation for the disappointment - one had been waiting for his Christmas present and the other had brought his whole family

 

The grin started for me when I arrived, an hour early (of course). There's a replica of JE-J in the car park. It may be plastic but it's still a Spitfire. Then they rolled out G-ILDA and the excitement mounted. There's a nice, comfortable 'crew room' to wait in and wasn't not long before others started to arrive.

 

There's a forty-minute briefing on safety and some of this was a bit 'dumbed down', I assume to make sure that it's clear to everyone that flying in a 'War Bird' is not the same as flying on holiday. Just to make sure, they then tell you that; more than once. I loved the "Airliners are designed for your safety, War Birds are designed to fight" bit. The 'what are the risks of flying a Spitfire' section started with a comment that, historically, the most dangerous aspect of flying was 'combat with the enemy - but this is highly unlikely today'. We were also briefed on preparing for a forced landing and abandoning the aircraft, including operation of the parachute. Apparently they're modern 'chutes designed for the task and yes, you sit on them. Surprisingly for me, any forced landing would be wheels up - I guess it's one less worry when you're trying to find a suitable field and avoids nose-overs.

 

Fitting on the flying suit was fun - I'm... how can we put it... built for comfort, not speed, and the largest flying suit they had was, to quote "Father of the Bride', a little snug. Its corset like fit did help me attain a 'look of the Tom Cruise' though. After a very large lunch, obviously. With two puddings. Kid gloves (without the 'L' and 'R' on so obviously not proper pilot gloves) and a modern bone dome completed the outfit. They did have boots for those who'd come in leather soles.

 

We were then allocated our slot (I was #3) and watched as the first guy was strapped in and the pilot started up. There are some great videos on YouTube, including this detailed one from the pilot's view so I won't bore you with that. Loud and draughty sums it up.

 

Eventually my turn came and I walked out across the apron, my bone dome under my arm and 'Top Gun' playing in my head (obviously). After a couple of photographs on the wing:

 

 

 

...one of the ground crew prised me into the cockpit. Stand on the seat, hold on to the sides, slide down into the fuselage. When you're walking out it hits you how BIG the Spitfire is compared to most things I've flown in (Cessnas, Pipers and the like). Not so the cockpit. It's very narrow. And full of stuff. No wonder the kit pilots don't fit (especially the Chubbies).

 

 

Because she's a training aircraft everything in the back works so 'don't touch that, or that...' is part of the briefing. You can see the parachute straps in the first photo and the 'foot boards', just in-board of the rudder pedals, in the second. I should have know this but the control column doesn't move side to side (phew) BUT the rudder pedals go backwards and forwards on their runners - a lot. So you have to keep your feet on the foot boards and your hands on your knees. Cosy. Tighten the straps a lot, especially the ones between your legs - in the unlikely event of bailing out, they're your parachute and they don't want you coming back talking in a high voice. THEN on with the harness - elbows in the vertical straps and then connected by the little round clip we all paint so carefully (it's black, with a brass catch. Rats, got that wrong then). I now "had a Spitfire fitted to me". Pilot has a chat and promises to let me fly her. Woohoo! Canopy wound closed, seat up.

 

Startup and taxy out, pilot on intercom. You really can't see anything under the nose so zig zag down the taxyway to the holding point. Engine and mag tests, noise deadened by the headsets. Line up... full power and she's off! The punch in the back and the acceleration is impressive and very quickly she's flying. Lars did very well (of course) and there was no wiggle as he changed hands for gear up. Then climb away, turning gently to the right into the space you can see is clear.

 

We quickly hit the cloud cover at about 900', head off towards Portsmouth, turn over the Solent and fly down the north coast of the Island. "You have control". Crikey, she's sensitive. The slightest movement and she responds, almost 'sensing' what you want to do. Amazing. Too soon I hear "I have control" and we're circling the Needles. Back down the white cliffs, past Bognor with a couple of barrel rolls (can't wait to see my face when that happened), circle over Arundel Castle, back over Tangmere talking about WWII airfields.

 

Overhead Goodwood, right hand circuit. Lars tells me it's hard to bleed off the speed - she want to fly. From 200+ MPH cruise he has to get down to 'gear down' speed and then around 100 for approach and 80mph landing speed. Sweeping right hand finals (still can't see under the nose) and a perfect three-point landing. VERY bumpy at the end of the strip, poor GILDA.

 

Fifty minutes of flying around a lifetime of memories. I'll post a link to the video soon, I hope.

[CedB]

4 hours ago, Grandboof said:

If you haven't already you may wish to the removing the lugs for locating the nacelles to the wing. I found it made for a better alignment. Entirely your choice.Looking forward to more progress A ride in a Spit  Well done

Martin H

Thanks Martin Yes, they're horrid aren't they?

I've chopped the nacelles apart again and will remove the lugs - as you say, they're useless!

Some shimming will be required to get the right fit, methinks...

[perdu]

A great description of your day out Ced, truly glad you got up there

 

Nice description of the internal dos and donts but didn't you miss something out?

?

?

Or were you trying not to make me even more jealous

 

 

The scent of a Spitfire Ced, how did she smell?

 

I had that whiff of indefinable pleasure sticking my nose inside 407, I'll bet you got that and more for the sensory memory bank in G-ILDA. 

 

Anyway congrats colour me. ????

 

 

Yup

 

Green

[keefr22]

Wonderful post Red Leader, sounds a most spiffing day out! Glad the weather co-operated - well up to a point! Have you made the entry in your log book yet?!

 

And like the others i'm not at all jealous, oh no, not one little bit....!! 

 

Keith

[Biggles87]

Excellent description Ced. I don't know how you would describe the smell of a ' real ' aeroplane, the Tiger had it also of course. I'm sure that none of us will get bored with hearing more about your day.

 

Cheers

 

John

 

PS if I'm ever lucky enough to do it, my soundtrack will be from ' The Battle of Britain ' film.

 

[bbudde]

Hello nice to hear all went well and you're now a happy man after a great day for you. The photos confim this!!  (Spaaagheetiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii couldn't work better). Great description, but my favorite place is with my feet on the ground as we weren't born with wings on. So I'm a bit of a pu**y  to get my butt into a plane ( so not very envious.) Cheers

Edited October 11, 2017 by bbudde

[malpaso]

Lucky you.  Some of my daughter’s primary school classmates got to sit in G-ILDA when she was built / converted at Thruxton a few years ago.  

[giemme]

9 hours ago, Procopius said:

 

You've lived the dreams of millions upon millions of small boys since 1936. Couldn't have happened to a nicer fellow. (And I'm only a teeny-tiny bit jealous.)

I fully, heartily agree with PC - and what a description you've put on  

 

And I also agree with:

4 hours ago, Biggles87 said:

I'm sure that none of us will get bored with hearing more about your day

 

Looking forward to when you start that build thread  

 

Ciao

[Brandy]

Very jealous Ced, the grin says it all! I'd happily trade half of my 9,000+ flight hours for 50 mins in that little beauty! The most fun I've had to date was 30 minutes in a Stearman.....

 

Ian

[Fritag]

Awesome, Ced - what an experience - and beautifully told.  Ced has flown a Spitfire.  Not just flown in - but flown.  Worth saying that again methinks; Ced has flown a Spitfire......

[Procopius]

9 hours ago, Biggles87 said:

PS if I'm ever lucky enough to do it, my soundtrack will be from ' The Battle of Britain ' film.

 

Whenever I feel low, I watch the "Be on the lookout for a friendly wing on your starboard side" scene. Perfect scoring.

[keefr22]

10 minutes ago, Fritag said:

Ced has flown a Spitfire......

 

But one among us has flown Jaguars.....I don't know who I envy the most....!! 

 

Keith

[Procopius]

Just now, keefr22 said:

 

But one among us has flown Jaguars.....I don't know who I envy the most....!! 

Sorry Keith, (and pace Fritag), but it's the difference between getting to fire a pistol or being allowed to wield Excalibur. No contest.

[keefr22]

There is that, but heretic that I am I love fast jets just as much as Spitfires! I reckon the best job in the world today is flying Typhoons as the day job & BBMF Spitfires on summer weekends...!! 

 

Keith

[Fritag]

21 minutes ago, Procopius said:

Sorry Keith, (and pace Fritag), but it's the difference between getting to fire a pistol or being allowed to wield Excalibur. No contest

 

I'd give up plenty of my Jag or F16 time to have 50 mins in a Spitfire.  And if I could only have 50 mins in one of them it'd be the Spitfire. No contest.

 

But I'd rather cruise at low level at 450kts in a Jag than a few hundred miles an hour in a Spitfire and I'd rather have the 28,000lb of thrust of an F16 under my left glove than the 1,500hp of a Spifire........

Edited October 11, 2017 by Fritag

[celt]

I for one am not jealous of Ced flying a Spitfire,  if it was a Hurricane,then I would be with envy.BTW Ced,when I built,sorry attempted to  build this kit it ended up smashed to pieces and ended up in the council recyling bag.