Spitfire Mk 24

The Mk 24 was the last version of the Spitfire, so it clearly deserves a place in the collection. I've not come across a diecast 1:72 model, but I did find a kit in that scale.

Here is the completed model, ...

... and, as far as I can determine, this is a picture of the original Spitfire (VN314) that the model is based on.

K5054 jacket

Last month we went to Tangmere for a talk about the replica of K5054, the Spitfire prototype, that is housed by the museum. The talk was given by Bill Williams, who was the manager of the project to create the replica. Bill was wearing what looked like a special jacket, which had an outline of K5054 embroidered on the front and back. After the talk, a member of the audience asked him where and how this jacket could be obtained. I expected him to say sorry, it's a one-off, especially made for members of the project, and so not available to members of the general public. I was wrong .... Bill said that anyone wanting the jacket should let the organiser at Tangmere know, so a bulk order could be put together. 

Do I need to say I jumped at the opportunity?

K5054 jacket was delivered earlier today!

As I understand from Bill, only 12 of these jackets exist in the world. That's exactly a full squadron, right?

Spitfire stuff @ Southampton Airport

Spitfire Makers plaque #23 was unveiled at Southampton Airport last month, to commemorate the 90-year anniversary of the first flight of the Spitfire, from that very same site (then called Eastleigh Aerodrome). Unfortunately, we couldn't attend this unveiling at the time due to work getting in the way. But we flew to the Netherlands for a double family visit over the Easter days, so that gave us the perfect opportunity to take some pictures of the plaque and the wall it's now situated on.

Information on both RJ Mitchell and 'Mutt' Summers is provided at either side of the plaque(s).

And here is Spitfire Makers plaque #23 in close-up.

Once through security check and customs, in the area near the departure gates, there is a sign pointing towards a 'Spitfire Lounge.

Following the signs through some doors and corridors eventually leads past a large black-and-white image of a Spitfire ...

... and this is as far as I could get, not having a business class ticket!

We flew to the Netherlands in a KLM Cityhopper, from the same place that the first Spitfire flew 90 years ago.

On Easter Sunday and Easter Monday, we met with our respective families; this double family visit was after all the primary reason for going.

And then back home after Easter, again in a KLM Cityhopper. 

Underneath the plane, on the approach to Southampton Airport, is the site of the Supermarine Woolston works, bombed in 1940.

We landed back at Southampton Airport on the day that Spitfire BS410, repainted light blue and sporting the registration of the original prototype (K5054), would depart from Southampton Airport on a 9-leg flight around Britain, celebrating the 90-year anniversary of that very first flight in 1936. 

Fortunately, our own flight had arrived early enough to give us time to get to the top of the multi-storey car park to see 'K5054' take off. We weren't the only people there! 

A teasing light blue wing tip was just visible for some time ...

... and then she taxied towards the runway.

'K5054' ready for take-off! With apologies for the very shaky video ... I had to zoom in quite a bit to 'see through' the metal fence around the car park, and that made it very hard to keep the camera steady.

Off she went on her 9-leg tour of Britain; we'll definitely follow her via Facebook over the coming week!

So in the end, we had a great Easter family break in the Netherlands, book-ended by Spitfire 'stuff'.

Spitfire prototype and the Hythe works

Ninety years ago last month, Supermarine Type 300, the prototype aeroplane that would result in the Spitfire, flew for the first time. I've always kept an eye out for a 1:72 model of Type 300, but without much luck ... Until recently: good things come to those who wait!

The model is actually a metal kit rather than one made from plastic, and has very few parts to assemble.

The Spitfire prototype was originally unpainted, and later painted the well-known light-blue, as seen in models on the roundabout near Southampton Airport, Solent Sky, the full-size replica at Tangmere and the mural in the foyer of the Holiday Inn. So I decided not to paint my model and keep it 'bare metal'.

And here is a picture of the actual prototype in flight, sporting its light-blue livery.

Going off on a slight tangent, in the 1930s, Supermarine owned the Hythe works, across the water from Woolston. This is the place where work on flying boats as well as the initial work on Type 300 took place. 

The Hythe works were closed and sold when the Woolston works started up, but the main building, with its distinctive 'saw tooth' roof, is still standing on the site. 

Time to drive over to that site to take some pictures of where the Spitfire was conceived!

The slipway used for the flying boats is also still there!

And this is standing at the top of the slipway, looking across the water to where the Woolston works used to be (the Itchen bridge of course didn't exist then) ...