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PRU Spitfire found in Norway.


cocky05d

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Very interesting thanks. They’ve got a funny idea of what “complete” means, but at least this one won’t end up looking like it needs a banger shoved into it and thrown out of some kid’s bedroom window.

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4 hours ago, noelh said:

That's fascinating. Generally well written article for a newspaper. Plus I've already set the recording for the documentary next Wednesday. Looking forward to seeing that.

What channel is that on Wednesday, thanks

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Right down near the bottom of the article it says

Quote

A TV documentary on the discovery and recovery of Spitfire AA810 will be broadcast, as part of the Digging for Britain archaeology series, on BBC4 on Wednesday 28 November.

I think the Spitfire story is one of four stories in the one hour programme. And knowing how these programmes are produced, it'll be split into three or four pieces jumbled up with the other three archeological stories featured.

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11 hours ago, Vingtor said:

The photo of the wreckage parts gives a new meaning to the word intact to me.

 

Nils

It's said that a good landing is one you can walk away from. A 'great' landing is one where you can use the aeroplane again. 

It seems that Spitfire may have made a great landing.🙂

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On ‎11‎/‎23‎/‎2018 at 3:59 AM, Vingtor said:

The photo of the wreckage parts gives a new meaning to the word intact to me.

 

Nils

Have to admit, whilst I'm happy the wreckage has been found, I was extremely disappointed when I saw the photo...I initially imagined something similar to the P-40 found in the desert a few years ago, not a collection of pieces that need an outline to figure out the puzzle of which piece goes where.

 

I guess at least this wreck won't meet the same fate as the aforementioned P-40, that clusterf*ck still makes my blood boil.

Edited by AeroNautique
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12 hours ago, AeroNautique said:

I guess at least this this wreck won't meet the same fate as the aforementioned P-40, that clusterf*ck still makes my blood boil.

What happened to the P-40?

 

Nils

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17 hours ago, AeroNautique said:

Have to admit, whilst I'm happy the wreckage has been found, I was extremely disappointed when I saw the photo...I initially imagined something similar to the P-40 found in the desert a few years ago, not a collection of pieces that need an outline to figure out the puzzle of where what goes.

 

I guess at least this this wreck won't meet the same fate as the aforementioned P-40, that clusterf*ck still makes my blood boil.

What about the clusterwhatsit that makes your blood boil?

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5 hours ago, Vingtor said:

What happened to the P-40?

 

Nils

Here you go! The images of the 'restored' aircraft are not for the faint of heart.

 

http://warbirdsnews.com/warbirds-news/desert-war-kittyhawk-unveiled-in-egypt.html

 

(Scroll to the bottom for the pictures of the aircraft as it is now)

Edited by VMA131Marine
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I see what you mean ,the camo is not that bad ,but the roundels are wot hurt the eyes .

Shame they could no have come to some sort of deal with the Egyptian govt ,offering to give them back some of the looted stuff in the British Museum 🤣

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4 hours ago, Jeepboy said:

Have a Google- there was a deal to swap a Spitfire which went very wrong.

The 'Spitfire' was given to the company that recovered the P-40 from the desert and was supposed to ship it to England. Of course, this all happened during the unrest in Egypt and, with all the government turnover, they were never able to get export permission for the aircraft. The Spitfire was a former gate guard and not much more than an empty shell. It certainly wasn't close to being a flier or even suitable for static display. Under the circumstances, it was a reasonable gamble. You win some, you lose some!

Edited by VMA131Marine
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7 hours ago, VMA131Marine said:

Here you go! The images of the 'restored' aircraft are not for the faint of heart.

 

http://warbirdsnews.com/warbirds-news/desert-war-kittyhawk-unveiled-in-egypt.html

 

(Scroll to the bottom for the pictures of the aircraft as it is now)

Eeeek.... They could have done that better in plastic. What a waste. 😖

 

Hopefully, the "intact" Spitfire will be restored to a much better shape.

 

Nils

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On 11/24/2018 at 7:04 PM, VMA131Marine said:

The 'Spitfire' was given to the company that recovered the P-40 from the desert and was supposed to ship it to England. Of course, this all happened during the unrest in Egypt and, with all the government turnover, they were never able to get export permission for the aircraft. The Spitfire was a former gate guard and not much more than an empty shell. It certainly wasn't close to being a flier or even suitable for static display. Under the circumstances, it was a reasonable gamble. You win some, you lose some!

I understand they do intend to restore it to airworthiness.  Isn't it a late Griffon version, a Mk22 or something?  I think the company involved received a lot of flak for something that was beyond their control. 

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Notwithstanding the interesting interpretation of the word 'intact' this is a great story on many counts. 

 

We will see, at some point, a previously extinct (I believe) mark of Spitfire in the skies again (bearing in mind that many, many components will need to come from different airframes or be newly manufactured - one for the purists but I, for one, don't care).

 

It will be another tribute to a somewhat unsung branch of the Spitfire family.

 

It will be more recognition of the brave men of the PRUs.

 

Lastly, and most importantly, it will help preserve the memory of Sandy Gunn and 19 other British, 6 Canadian, 5 Australian, 2 New Zealand, 3 South African, 2 Norwegian, 6 Polish, 1 Lithuanian, 1 Belgian, 1 Argentinian, 1 Czech, 1 Greek and 1 Frenchman who were brutally and unnecessarily murdered on the direct orders of that jumped up little corporal. 

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