The Russian Spitfire PT879 (The Hangar 11 Collection) North Weald September 2021

[Alpha Delta 210]

Yesterday, I was delighted to participate in the Timeline Events evening and night shoot of this wonderful aeroplane. The best part of all was being asked by the owner and pilot, Peter Teichmann to assist in moving PT879! Be still, my beating heart!

 

Here is the background to this very interesting aeroplane:

 

PT879 MK IX The Russian Spitfire

 

Mk IX Supermarine Spitfire PT879 is the latest addition to the Hangar 11 Collection. She is the very first Spitfire to return from Russia, having been consigned as part of the wartime Lend-Lease process to the Russian Air Force.

 

She left the Vickers-Armstrong shadow factory at Castle Bromwich on 4th August 1944 and was shipped via Murmansk to the 2nd Squadron, 767th Regiment, 122nd Division of the Russian Air Force. She crashed during a dogfight in Spring 1945 with just 29 hours on the airframe and was recovered off the Tundra as a complete aircraft by a farmer.

 

The aircraft was returned to the UK by Peter Monk in 1998 and she was then acquired by Angie Soper, well known display pilot. A huge number of her original parts were used in the restoration of the airframe, including some 500 plus from the actual aircraft in her renovated fuselage. The wings are very original and comprise the core components of the original wings.

 

Following a number of successful engine runs on October 26th, at Biggin Hill, she was prepared for final CAA inspection and the issue of her “permit to test” approval. Her first flight took place on the morning of October 28th 2020, when she went up for a 25 minute flight, which was her first in 75 years.

 

 

After a very grey start to the day, we were blessed by some early autumn sunshine in the late afternoon.

 

 

 

PT879 with an Aero Legends Spitfire overhead.

 

 

 

 

First engine run (with the longed-for flames!)

 

Same shot, tightly cropped

 

 

 

 

The "blue hour"

 

 

 

The second engine run, which Peter explained would be shorter because the engine was still hot

 

The same image as above, but tightly cropped to show the beautiful bluey-purple flames!

 

Thanks for looking.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Latinbear]

Super set of shots there! I particularly like the flames and the sunset images. A treat to be involved in moving the plane too! A perfect selfie opportunity perhaps? 

[adrianm2]

 

Great pictures.

Thanks for sharing.

Adrian

[Alpha Delta 210]

7 hours ago, Latinbear said:

Super set of shots there! I particularly like the flames and the sunset images. A treat to be involved in moving the plane too! A perfect selfie opportunity perhaps? 

Thanks very much, Latinbear! I was hoping for flames because I have never caught them before. As you say, being able to lay hands on such a beautiful aeroplane was such a treat and yes, it was a selfie opportunity, which doesn't come naturally to an old duffer like me!🤣

2 hours ago, adrianm2 said:

 

Great pictures.

Thanks for sharing.

Adrian

Thanks very much, Adrian. I'm really pleased that you enjoyed them.👍

[canberraman]

Beautiful atmospheric shots! I do like the fiery ignition and the great light.

 

Lovely!

 

Mark

[Alpha Delta 210]

2 hours ago, canberraman said:

Beautiful atmospheric shots! I do like the fiery ignition and the great light.

 

Lovely!

 

Mark

Hi Mark. Thanks for your comments and I'm pleased that you enjoyed the pictures. I tend to run out of ideas at these shoots, because there are only so many angles and poses. I must confess (and sorry to all reenactors out there!) that I'm not too keen on having the reenactors in my shots. At air shows, I always try to show the human/machine interaction with ground crew and pilot because they are real, but I am less keen on posed shots. 

 

That said, the organisers ensured that there were plenty of opportunities to photograph the stunning Spitfire without people and props.

[spruecutter96]

Excellent, evocative and poignant photos!

 

Thanks for sharing with us. 

 

Chris. 

[F-32]

Beautiful shots!

[Alpha Delta 210]

55 minutes ago, spruecutter96 said:

Excellent, evocative and poignant photos!

 

Thanks for sharing with us. 

 

Chris. 

Hi Chris. 

 

Thank very much. I'm more into aircraft than reenactment, but the guys did add some life to the images, despite wearing RAF, rather than VVS!!

 

19 minutes ago, F-32 said:

Beautiful shots!

Thanks very much, F-32. I'm pleased that you enjoyed them.

[geedubelyer]

Beautiful captures as always 👌

 

 

[Alpha Delta 210]

1 hour ago, geedubelyer said:

Beautiful captures as always 👌

 

 

Thank you very much! I'm pleased you enjoyed them.👍

[HOUSTON]

Hello Alpha Delta 210....

Hope you are well.

Really love your photography. 

   

 

I quite adore photos number 4 , 5 , and 6.

Very  atmospheric and encapsulates the Spirit  of the Spitfire in the light.

 

Have a Merry Christmas and a happy New year. 

:🎄 

 

 

[Alpha Delta 210]

44 minutes ago, HOUSTON said:

Hello Alpha Delta 210....

Hope you are well.

Really love your photography. 

   

 

I quite adore photos number 4 , 5 , and 6.

Very  atmospheric and encapsulates the Spirit  of the Spitfire in the light.

 

Have a Merry Christmas and a happy New year. 

:🎄 

 

 

Hi Houston. 

 

I'm very well, thanks. I hope you are too.

 

Thanks for the kind words. I'm so pleased you enjoyed the shots.

 

Season's greetings.