Spitfire over Bamburgh Castle request.

[cngaero]

This is probably the longest of long shots, but I'm trying to get hold of a copy of a photograph that appeared in either Aeroplane Monthly or Flypast Magazine a few years ago. It was a double page spread and featured the BBMF's Spitfire Mk II flying over Bamburgh Castle in Northumberland. It was wearing the markings of No 72 Squadron and coded RN-S and sported the name Enniskillen on the forward fuselage. The reason for my request is that the original aircraft was stationed at RAF Acklington, which is, or was about 5 miles from where I live. 

The annoying thing is that I had the magazine that it was in, but gave it away with all my volumes of both titles to my local Air Cadet centre when we moved six years ago. It was always a picture I wanted to frame and hang on my wall, but always kept putting it off as I tried to avoid my hobby encroaching too far into the house and as my modelling activities were contained within my shed, it never came to fruition. I now have a bespoke model room, which comes with planning permission from the Mistress of the Blue Horizon, to hang the aforementioned picture, if I can locate it. 

So if anyone has any information regarding the title, year and month, I would be most grateful. 

 

[Lothian man]

Could it be an art print? There are at least two prints on the market of Spits over Bamburgh, one of them RN-S called Enniskillen apparently. Google on spitfire bamburgh castle, set to 'images', and you'll find them. 

[cngaero]

Thanks for the reply. I've got the image of the art print on my laptop, but in the magazine, it was definitely a photographic image. I've tried every which way on Google to try to find it, but to no avail. 

[cmatthewbacon]

I don't know if this is any help, but it looks like the BBMF Spit was painted as Enniskillen in early 1994, so the picture seems likely to have been taken sometime in '94. I think Key Publishing (which produces both) has a picture sales desk, so it would probably worth contacting them. With a bit of luck, their photo indexing should be able to find a picture of BBMF Spitfire marked RN-S taken in 1994 in Northumberland...

 

best,

M.

[Corsairfoxfouruncle]

Is this the plane and photo ? 

 

https://www.paimages.co.uk/image-details/2.1307094

 

https://www.gettyimages.co.uk/detail/news-photo/the-battle-of-britain-memorial-flight-spitfire-mkiia-news-photo/830400610

 

Dennis

Edited July 17, 2019 by Corsairfoxfouruncle

[cngaero]

That's great Matthew, I'll give them a try. 

Thanks for that. 

[cngaero]

6 minutes ago, Corsairfoxfouruncle said:

Is this the plane and photo ? 

 

https://www.paimages.co.uk/image-details/2.1307094

That's the aircraft, but not the picture in question. The one I'm looking for has the aircraft flying fairly low directly over the castle. Thank you for looking though. 

Edited July 17, 2019 by cngaero

[cmatthewbacon]

Is it possible that you might be merging two pictures in your head? In mid 2017, as part of the 72 Squadron "Grand Flypast" marking a century since it was founded, a Tucano in WW2 colour scheme, coded RN-S, flew over Acklington and on to Drem, almost certainly over Bamburgh. And then there's the painting of Spitfire RN-S over Bamburgh that you can find on Google. It just seems a little odd that the Aeroplane or Flypast would have re-run a picture of the BBMF Spitfire from '94/'95 (it was repainted into other markings after a couple of years) as a colour double page spread... unless of course they did it as a "compare and contrast" with a picture of the Tucano doing the same thing. It looks like the flypast was 27th June 2017, so a picture from then would probably be in the magazine cover dated August or September 2017... My instinct is that it feels a bit more Aeroplane than Flypast, but I can't see anything useful in the contents for either one for August or September...

 

best,

M.

[cngaero]

I remember the Tucano painted in that scheme, but it was definitely a Spitfire over the castle. As I said earlier, the picture was in the magazine a good few years ago now, besides which, the 2017 time frame that you refer to would be way out as I had stopped buying both titles in 2012 and gave away all the volumes in 2013.

As you have already suggested, I'll try the publishers to see what they can unearth. I'll also check with the BBMF as they may be able to help. 

Thanks again for your time. 

 

Edited July 17, 2019 by cngaero

[europapete]

Just found this old thread, I remember a large painting, not photograph, inside Bamburgh Castle of the image you describe. A Spitfire banking left wing low over the Castle heading left to right. The image looking at the scene from the starboard side of the aircraft. I too would love a copy of this painting but at my last enquirey to the Castle (quite a few years ago) they had no plans to reproduce it. It is definately NOT the Mark Postlethwaite painting, but may be one by Robert Taylor. I have never seen this image reproduced anywhere. Regards, Pete in RI

Edited September 12, 2021 by europapete

[Jim W Robinson]

On 17/07/2019 at 18:53, cngaero said:

This is probably the longest of long shots, but I'm trying to get hold of a copy of a photograph that appeared in either Aeroplane Monthly or Flypast Magazine a few years ago. It was a double page spread and featured the BBMF's Spitfire Mk II flying over Bamburgh Castle in Northumberland. It was wearing the markings of No 72 Squadron and coded RN-S and sported the name Enniskillen on the forward fuselage. The reason for my request is that the original aircraft was stationed at RAF Acklington, which is, or was about 5 miles from where I live. 

The annoying thing is that I had the magazine that it was in, but gave it away with all my volumes of both titles to my local Air Cadet centre when we moved six years ago. It was always a picture I wanted to frame and hang on my wall, but always kept putting it off as I tried to avoid my hobby encroaching too far into the house and as my modelling activities were contained within my shed, it never came to fruition. I now have a bespoke model room, which comes with planning permission from the Mistress of the Blue Horizon, to hang the aforementioned picture, if I can locate it. 

So if anyone has any information regarding the title, year and month, I would be most grateful. 

 

I have a copy of this print. I also got one for my brother and my nephew when I was doing Recruitment in the RAF.   They were produced by the RAF careers office in Aldergrove around 1996. There were lots printed.

[cngaero]

PM sent.

Edited August 6, 2023 by cngaero

[Black Knight]

Just as an aside; afaik the fly-over was to mark the discovery of two crashed Spitfires. One was flown by my late friend Harry Clarke from N.I. the other was flown by another 610 sq pilot (I've forgotten his name). The two Spitires collided during dog-fighting training. Harry took to his parachute and barely survived, the other pilot went straight in with his Spitfire. This happened over Bamburgh Castle area. Harry's Spitfire was found in the beach under the castle in 1994 and the other Spitfire, with the pilot, was found not far away during the dig. Some parts of Harry's Spitfire are on exhibit in the castle

[cngaero]

Thanks, for that information, I'd no idea that that was the story behind the photo.

I knew about the crashes and inspected the wreckage a few years ago.

I had assumed that the photo was to do with 72 squadron being based at nearby RAF Acklington. 

 

Cheers,

 

 Chris.