Admittedly this is a later Griffon engine as opposed to the earlier Merlins, but you know what...it doesn't matter both are equally wonderful. Griffin has the screaming supercharger whistle that you don't get with the Merlins. Again does it matter..nah. Both are magnificent pieces of engineering both make me proud to be British and proud of every single man and woman who flew them, maintained and built them, and the sacrifice that we may have a future and freedom
I am one of the lucky ones who have flown in one of these magnificent fighter planes, it sends shivers up my spine every time I hear and see this iconic plane fly 😲
Years ago in a small air show in new smyrna beach fla there was a magnificant experimental spitfire in 7/8 scale. As a kid growing up early fifties just loved aircraft. The design lines of the spit are just breath taking. My wife who is naturally gifted in design and color stated this plane in life is one beautiful thing to behold. Yeah the supermarine spit was a top runway model of her era.
Ayant décortiqué tout le reportage ou presque, j'adore ce language des hommes de l'air. Un lanquage tout en geste, les même que les para' libre ... Tout un monde d'espace, de liberté, de passion, de précision et de technique ...
Free Frenchmen made numerous excellent contributions to the RAF in Spitfires and other models including the Typhoon and Tempest in WW2. One Frenchman, Pierre Clostermann, also contributed the best first person account of being a pilot in WW2 (in his case, in the RAF) written by any pilot of that war - The Big Show. He also flew the Spitfire !
What a beauty, what a plane and what an engine! History at it's best. I love it! Thanks for keeping this one in the air and thanks for sharing the video!
I am well aware it was a recon version. My comment was intended to convey the idea that Spitfires which were armed and armoured handled beautifully. Imagine a high-powered version which didn't have all that extra weight--especially after the extra fuel burned off....
The Spitfire Mk XIX could carry quite a lot of fuel and do over 1,000 miles at the high cruising speed of 400 mph on internal fuel or a lot more with a drop tank, imagine flying for over 4 hours or even more if they used a more economical cruise speed, I did read of one that after the war was flown from England to Chile. That would be about 7,000 miles but obviously not non stop. But Spitfires did cover quite long ranges at times, the Spitfire Mk VII and XIV were flown on sweeps from Culmhead in Somerset to Bordeaux or the Swiss border, Bordeaux is about 880 miles there and back in a straight line and the Swiss border over 1,000 miles.
a lifetime dream... thanks for posting! and when you guys meditate on how hard it is to land that bird... also think of those who had to fly and land it in combat, teenegars with 50 hours of total flight time. a toast to the "few" !
You are rather over quoting the hours of actual 'Flying' by many of the "FEW" teenagers who were lucky if they had 10 Yes 10 hours of TOTAL FLYING TIME and straight from Training where the one Luxury they did not have was 'TIME' as Pilot losses were almost faster than they could be trained and replaced... "The cost of FREEDOM is Constant VIGILANCE"
It sure is. FWIW the Griffon sounds quite similar to the Daimler Benz DB 605s used in late war Messerschmitts...they have about the same displacement. The supercharger whine is more pronounced with DB 605, but the exhaust note is similar.
Love the way this guy side slipped this spitfire into a landing, that takes some skill....! A lot of hard work went into rebuilding this spitfire, I'm saddened by the takeoff accident it had but happy that there was no fatalities.....
Love to have this beauty sitting in my barn hanger at the farm. What an awesome fighter. You're a fortunate man to fly such. And Mr. Burns, you're right.
There's a lot of comments on here about the french, I'm a brit. I don't think the french were cowards. The fact that Germany was ridiculously powerful at the time put the French in a rather bad position as they are sat next to Germany, so its a no brainer, save as many lives as you can and play dead and live to fight another day, that's the way I see how they reacted in my eye's anyway. In other words they were playing it smart! Anyway!! This video is fricking awesome!! That spit sound is bloody amazing especially with the 5 bladed prop. Flying skill was cool too!!
Absolutely right. No country could have withstood the Germans in 1940. Not the French, not the British, not the Americans, had they shared a border with the Germans. Could the Russians have survived? Probably not; maybe, only maybe, if the Germans had made the same errors in 40 that they made in 41 and 42.
I think France was not any bit weaker than Germany. The French government just went for a very wrong defence strategy. Had there been enough of the very fine French fighter planes, which were more than just equals to the 109, and had the ones in charge in France done like f*cking Hitler, and read the book about the usage of modern tanks written by Colonel Charles de Gaulle (Later to become General), history might have looked very, very differently from how we know it today. Given the chance to fight, French fought superbly. René Mouchotte and Pierre Clostermann are the two names I know who did, both fighter aces. Greetings from Germany, from someone who is most thankful that someone back then saved his parents from the Nazis and made Germany a place worth living in again!
I am a Brit and if the UK bordered Germany it would have been the same for us as it was for the French, look at the history of France they are brave, patriotic, and certainly not cowards.
This aircraft got my heart started! What an engine sound! Magnificent! Great piloting! This is the first time that the accompanying music works with the video!
What a fabulous looking restoration. Well done those concerned. This is the first time I have seen a PR spitfire up close is so much detail. I never realise they had pressurised cockpits and no sidedoor. Ecellent.
I don't own a plane and I'm not be able to pilot a plane either. But this plane and this sound, make me dream both the things. Congratulation Mr. Eric, you are a lucky man.
***** not a chance in hell, that butt ugly air scoop on the belly ruins the whole design, without it the plane would look OK but with it i personally find it ugly.
***** Agreed! P51D, kind of martial looking plane with an elegant canopy, but with its bulky (under)belly never that refinded, balanced and well-proportioned like the Spitfire, with its wonderfull elliptic wings. Especially this late griffon-powered one is my favourit! Pierre Clostermann wrote later, that everybody adored the Mosquito and many pilots wrote in for the the twin-engined training, because of that very plane. But if I've had the choise, I would have chosen the mighty Spit, no question.
LCdrDerrick I never could get to grips with the looks of the P-51. It looks disfigured to me, stunted, and it's not just the air intake. All the proportions seem to be off. A powerful aircraft, but not a looker. Not like the Spit or the Focke D.
The Spitfire is where the eternal ugliness of war crosses into the unbelievable beauty of flight.The Spitfire is the vision of Reginald J. Mitchell - primarily, the finest design for a single-seat plane that his brilliant mind could conceive. The whole package, up to the MkXXIV was the EPITOME of Aircraft design in the age of the Airscrew. When the jet age started we went back to the drawing board with the ME 262 - we have been trying to reach the heights of Mitchell's dream without success!
My favourite my...Griffon power, classic plan form and symmetrical radiators. I used to be across the taxi way from BBMF who operated one in the PR blue paint and never tired of watching it
What a thrill to be able to see a jewel from a long time ago fly, it is nostalgic, to see it in the air, very good video, what a pilot, the sound of the engine, the setting, the only bad thing is the trembling pulse of the cameraman already in the air of this wonder of airplaine.
Never get tired of both listening and watching this great video will live for ever. All the hard work and great expense that has been put into this machine the public at large around the world appreciate every minute great job and demo from the pilot. Bob UK.
Nicely done! Great balance of engine music and background sound (rare on TH-cam). What a beast it must be to land with that huge Griffon engine way out in front. Amazing!
...HHmmmmmm, I say that was a terrific landing, he was coming in and adjusted for the rolling hill and landed it and walked away.................thanks RICH GUY!!!! for sharing the experience.
This has to be one of the best video's. I get goose bumps seeing and hearing these planes. Its like I done this circle before. If you believe that sort of thing. That sharp turn what was 4 or 5 g's thank's for the video was great
Spitfires are beautiful no question. This one appears to be a griffon powered beast. Five bladed propeller and a huge engine gives it a distinctive sound and personality. It’s not to everyone’s taste but it’s still a Spitfire.
The Head of Maths at a school I worked at in Oxford in the 1980's was a Spitfire Pilot during the war. We could never get him to talk about it though, which is completely understandable, given the horrendous circumstances and significant losses of fighter pilot colleagues. A really good book about the development of the Spitfire and accounts from pilots, is 'Spitfire manual 1940', by Dilip Sarkar. My son bought me a copy this year for my 70th birthday, it's a compelling read about the context of the times and the part the Spitfire and support teams played.
Hi Yes it is the most beautiful fighter ever built lucky man you take good care of her . Enjoy every second my farther worked on these and many more aircraft he enlisted in 1939 out break of war he was sent over to France he got caught up in Dunkirk . Enjoy !
KUDOS to those hard working men and women that keep these planes flying and by doing so keep our history alive so the millennials can see the beauty and grace that we all fell in love with.
Wow, the sound of htat Griffon engine alone is worth saving this. When my Dad was in the AAF/USAF occupation force in Japan 46-48, there was an RAF squadron manned by Aussies and Indians stationed nearby, and they would make regular visits and high speed passes. He got to sit in once once. Neat machines.
My favorite! the shape does it all. I read a book about a spitfire pilot who joined a squadron in Holland, the Sqn Leader asked him " how many hours have you got with the XIX, None sir, this is my first. OMG!! was the reply.
One Lucky Guy.... I think the Spit´s are the most beautifull WW2 Aircraft ever build.... and that´s comes from a german ;-) I hope she will fly forever... and show littel kid´s this heritage of flying in the 40´s 50´s
Siempre me encantaron las líneas de ese avión caza Inglés y su gran versatilidad. Creo que el Spitfire, ó "escupe fuego" en traducción a mi idioma, fue superior a todos los cazas, por su desempeño en la segunda guerra mundial. Hermosas pasadas rasantes!!. Muy lindas imágenes... Gracias!!!
There's something about a beautiful killing machine. Whether it's Japanese sword, a Spitfire or an old English longbow. The combination of death and ascetics is intoxicating.
When I first saw the paintjob I was thinking "that looks like a Spit 16 instead of a 19". But the canopy was the first dead giveaway this was most certainly a PR19. All things considered, I like it in this Far East RAF Spit 16 paintjob. It kind of beats seeing the bird in PRU blue (even if that would be the accurate coloring). Nice film and NICE flight!
I am American but let me tell you, THIS is the most beautiful warbird EVER created I fell in love with them the first time I saw one when I was a kid...to all you Brits out there...THANK YOU!!! But you must give some credit to the ME 109 it sure took long enough to match it right? The second most beautiful was the Italian made Veltro...damn fione looking machine and of course the Russian Yak 3, I tell you if they could make these for the masses to enjoy they would sell out of them, with of course original engines.
18tangles To all the men who had the brains to understand that Hitler and his Nazi party wanted to press his boot over the throat of all free living people! British, Russian, Irish, Poles, Czechs, Free French, Hungarian, American, Canadian, Australian, New Zealand , including the whole world who likes to breathe fresh air! If there is a Nation that I have forgot to mention, I apologise, Freedom and peace to you all!
18tangles Yip thought so, sorry to sound like a prun but the later Griffon powered Spit had a massive spinner, very noticably longer than the 'Stangs spinner (though they were big too).
+TheFunkhouser: The markings are for South East Asia. This is a Mark 19. The paint job is for a Mark FRXIVE, which would have had guns as well as the camera.
From 1941 most British fighters had 20mm cannons (we had some 20mm cannon-armed Spitfire during the later part of the Battle of Britain in 1940 but the early cannons were prone to jamming) The first mass-produced mark of Spitfire to have cannons was the Mk Vb which had 2x 20mm cannons (1 in each wing) and 4x .303 mgs (2 in each wing). Hawker Hurricane Mk IIc, the Hawker Typhoon Mk Ib and the Hawker Tempest all had 4x 20mm cannons (2 in each wing)
Just an FYI for RR Merlin fans. The engine in Mk 19 spits was a RR Griffon, which sounds a bit raspier than the Merlin. I don't know this aircraft but it looks like and sounds like it has a Griffon engine, which would be right for the mark.
The Griffon was bigger than the Merlin by about 7 liters of displacement. You feel the Griffon as well as hear it. It has a ground shaking, basso profundo roar.
It was, it is, and will Always be the greatest engine sound. sends chills down my spine every time i hear it
Admittedly this is a later Griffon engine as opposed to the earlier Merlins, but you know what...it doesn't matter both are equally wonderful. Griffin has the screaming supercharger whistle that you don't get with the Merlins. Again does it matter..nah. Both are magnificent pieces of engineering both make me proud to be British and proud of every single man and woman who flew them, maintained and built them, and the sacrifice that we may have a future and freedom
I am one of the lucky ones who have flown in one of these magnificent fighter planes, it sends shivers up my spine every time I hear and see this iconic plane fly 😲
Years ago in a small air show in new smyrna beach fla there was a magnificant experimental spitfire in 7/8 scale. As a kid growing up early fifties just loved aircraft. The design lines of the spit are just breath taking. My wife who is naturally gifted in design and color stated this plane in life is one beautiful thing to behold. Yeah the supermarine spit was a top runway model of her era.
Ayant décortiqué tout le reportage ou presque, j'adore ce language des hommes de l'air. Un lanquage tout en geste, les même que les para' libre ... Tout un monde d'espace, de liberté, de passion, de précision et de technique ...
THE SMILE says it all. thanks and i hope we never have to face the dark times again any time soon.
What a great sound that engine makes! Nothing can beat that!
A Merlin engine beats that.
Free Frenchmen made numerous excellent contributions to the RAF in Spitfires and other models including the Typhoon and Tempest in WW2. One Frenchman, Pierre Clostermann, also contributed the best first person account of being a pilot in WW2 (in his case, in the RAF) written by any pilot of that war - The Big Show. He also flew the Spitfire !
Magnificent fighter. One of the most beautiful aircraft to ever fly.
What a beauty, what a plane and what an engine! History at it's best. I love it!
Thanks for keeping this one in the air and thanks for sharing the video!
Not bad flying for the first time up in one, I take it from the smile that he liked it.
No guns and no armour plate to weigh it down. 2000 odd horsepower to play with. I imagine that beauty handled like a dream
And it never had any of that. The XIX was a reconnaissance airplane. Can anyone see if this one has pressurised cockpit?
I am well aware it was a recon version. My comment was intended to convey the idea that Spitfires which were armed and armoured handled beautifully. Imagine a high-powered version which didn't have all that extra weight--especially after the extra fuel burned off....
many thanks to Eric G for sharing his passion and this incredible first flight
The Spitfire Mk XIX could carry quite a lot of fuel and do over 1,000 miles at the high cruising speed of 400 mph on internal fuel or a lot more with a drop tank, imagine flying for over 4 hours or even more if they used a more economical cruise speed, I did read of one that after the war was flown from England to Chile. That would be about 7,000 miles but obviously not non stop.
But Spitfires did cover quite long ranges at times, the Spitfire Mk VII and XIV were flown on sweeps from Culmhead in Somerset to Bordeaux or the Swiss border, Bordeaux is about 880 miles there and back in a straight line and the Swiss border over 1,000 miles.
if you are cruising at 400 you will either blow up the engine or run out of fuel.and P51's can do 8+ hours in the saddle.
This may very well be the best Spitfire film I´ve sen. Excellent blend of music and engine sound.
what a beautiful looking and sounding plane!
Merci a vous deux splendide prise de camera un reve d etre dans le cokpit avec vous MERCI INFINIMENT
What an honor it must be to work on this fine example, let alone take her up...brilliant. Thanks for sharing.
a lifetime dream... thanks for posting!
and when you guys meditate on how hard it is to land that bird... also think of those who had to fly and land it in combat, teenegars with 50 hours of total flight time.
a toast to the "few" !
You are rather over quoting the hours of actual 'Flying' by many of the "FEW" teenagers who were lucky if they had 10 Yes 10 hours of TOTAL FLYING TIME and straight from Training where the one Luxury they did not have was 'TIME' as Pilot losses were almost faster than they could be trained and replaced... "The cost of FREEDOM is Constant VIGILANCE"
What a shame this beautiful aircraft was overturned on take-off in June 2017. Let's hope it is back up and flying again before too long.
@Anonymous Hitman Pilot error, by the looks.
Good news is, she's being restored and should fly again.
th-cam.com/video/FnVAPfCgjxI/w-d-xo.html
@@ClarinoI 👍👍👍. Thank you !!
That Rolls Royce at full chat is just glorious!
It's the Rolls- Royce Griffon Engine i believe , not the Beautiful noise of the Merlin engine.
It sure is. FWIW the Griffon sounds quite similar to the Daimler Benz DB 605s used in late war Messerschmitts...they have about the same displacement. The supercharger whine is more pronounced with DB 605, but the exhaust note is similar.
Love the way this guy side slipped this spitfire into a landing, that takes some skill....! A lot of hard work went into rebuilding this spitfire, I'm saddened by the takeoff accident it had but happy that there was no fatalities.....
Love to have this beauty sitting in my barn hanger at the farm. What an awesome fighter. You're a fortunate man to fly such. And Mr. Burns, you're right.
There's a lot of comments on here about the french, I'm a brit. I don't think the french were cowards. The fact that Germany was ridiculously powerful at the time put the French in a rather bad position as they are sat next to Germany, so its a no brainer, save as many lives as you can and play dead and live to fight another day, that's the way I see how they reacted in my eye's anyway. In other words they were playing it smart!
Anyway!! This video is fricking awesome!! That spit sound is bloody amazing especially with the 5 bladed prop. Flying skill was cool too!!
Absolutely right. No country could have withstood the Germans in 1940. Not the French, not the British, not the Americans, had they shared a border with the Germans. Could the Russians have survived? Probably not; maybe, only maybe, if the Germans had made the same errors in 40 that they made in 41 and 42.
It has been said "Britain could not have won WW2 on it's own, and that is true. But Britain could have LOST WW2, and that they did not do."
Well said , By the way John Creed is a proper name, please learn how to spell as you are well reasoned.
I think France was not any bit weaker than Germany. The French government just went for a very wrong defence strategy. Had there been enough of the very fine French fighter planes, which were more than just equals to the 109, and had the ones in charge in France done like f*cking Hitler, and read the book about the usage of modern tanks written by Colonel Charles de Gaulle (Later to become General), history might have looked very, very differently from how we know it today.
Given the chance to fight, French fought superbly. René Mouchotte and Pierre Clostermann are the two names I know who did, both fighter aces.
Greetings from Germany, from someone who is most thankful that someone back then saved his parents from the Nazis and made Germany a place worth living in again!
I am a Brit and if the UK bordered Germany it would have been the same for us as it was for the French, look at the history of France they are brave, patriotic, and certainly not cowards.
This aircraft got my heart started! What an engine sound! Magnificent! Great piloting! This is the first time that the accompanying music works with the video!
What a fabulous looking restoration. Well done those concerned. This is the first time I have seen a PR spitfire up close is so much detail. I never realise they had pressurised cockpits and no sidedoor. Ecellent.
I don't own a plane and I'm not be able to pilot a plane either. But this plane and this sound, make me dream both the things. Congratulation Mr. Eric, you are a lucky man.
TOP video.
Who would not want to fly this beautiful machine and be happy like that...
The Griffon engined Spits were AWESOME! Not as sweet sounding as the Merlin, but very 'Ballsy'!
Google "Precious Metal" to see the ultimate expression of the Griffon. Beyond insane and snuggled inside a P-51 to boot!
No thanks, The Griffon did fit very well in the smaller lighter Spitfire.
@@Appalling68 do you have photo
Sorry, In my opinion better Sounding than any Merlin, especially @ Full Throttle. !!
Yeah it is a merlin under steroids
Can't imagine how much money was spent on such a beautiful restoration. Very well done,
That smile said it all... Congratulations beautiful aircraft.
Isn't that the most beautyful single engine fighter ever built? I guess it is!
Personally I like the lines of the FW-190 D better. But yes, the Spit is a true classic.
***** not a chance in hell, that butt ugly air scoop on the belly ruins the whole design, without it the plane would look OK but with it i personally find it ugly.
*****
Agreed! P51D, kind of martial looking plane with an elegant canopy, but with its bulky (under)belly never that refinded, balanced and well-proportioned like the Spitfire, with its wonderfull elliptic wings. Especially this late griffon-powered one is my favourit! Pierre Clostermann wrote later, that everybody adored the Mosquito and many pilots wrote in for the the twin-engined training, because of that very plane. But if I've had the choise, I would have chosen the mighty Spit, no question.
LCdrDerrick I never could get to grips with the looks of the P-51. It looks disfigured to me, stunted, and it's not just the air intake. All the proportions seem to be off. A powerful aircraft, but not a looker. Not like the Spit or the Focke D.
i respect your opinion, but beauty is in the eye of the beholder, i am one who perfers the P-51
OMG Look at that propeller, one of the most beautiful spitfire ever!!!
Beautiful sound, beautiful sight!! Better if it had been a Merlin powered Spit, would have sounded even better! Thank you R J Mitchell.
Wouah quelle délice Merci pour cette belle VIDÉO
Quel belle avion...Ce son !
The Spitfire is where the eternal ugliness of war crosses into the unbelievable beauty of flight.The Spitfire is the vision of Reginald J. Mitchell - primarily, the finest design for a single-seat plane that his brilliant mind could conceive. The whole package, up to the MkXXIV was the EPITOME of Aircraft design in the age of the Airscrew. When the jet age started we went back to the drawing board with the ME 262 - we have been trying to reach the heights of Mitchell's dream without success!
My second most favorite fighter of WWII! What a gorgeous aircraft!
My favourite my...Griffon power, classic plan form and symmetrical radiators. I used to be across the taxi way from BBMF who operated one in the PR blue paint and never tired of watching it
Nice flying, nice little slip on short final. Thank you for posting this!
Excellent footage. The first low fast pass is awesome.
Watched it 10 times now, priceless video of a priceless experience
What a thrill to be able to see a jewel from a long time ago fly, it is nostalgic, to see it in the air, very good video, what a pilot, the sound of the engine, the setting, the only bad thing is the trembling pulse of the cameraman already in the air of this wonder of airplaine.
Never get tired of both listening and watching this great video will live for ever.
All the hard work and great expense that has been put into this machine the public at large around the world appreciate every minute great job and demo from the pilot.
Bob UK.
Nicely done! Great balance of engine music and background sound (rare on TH-cam). What a beast it must be to land with that huge Griffon engine way out in front. Amazing!
Great plane. We all need that Spitfire spirit again right now!
It's wonderful to see this bird in action again. My thank you and congratulations to the team.
Lindo! Mitchel nos deixou uma obra-prima! Congratulations!
Magnificent fighter designed by a genius, who never saw it go into full production.
Speechless. What a beautiful aircraft.
thats one bad ass spitfire good job thanks for the video keeping history alive
good job nice job on bird very pretty.thanks for shareing the flight with me sir
I love the SEAC (South East Asia Command) paint and markings scheme on this plane.
That was very cool. You went above and beyond with all the background information. Bravo!!!
I wait for 1/24 scale plastic model by Airfix or other manufactory. This plane is so beautiful. The tale form like Dewoitine 520, is perfect !
It just has to be the most gorgeous sound from any airplane ever made .
Respect to all the people that keep this piece of history alive
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
The Spitfire's V12 engine man.....WOW
belle musique ça respire ! un beau spit bravo
Magnificent job.
...HHmmmmmm, I say that was a terrific landing, he was coming in and adjusted for the rolling hill and landed it and walked away.................thanks RICH GUY!!!! for sharing the experience.
Just discovered this video. Freakin FANTASTIC!!
That is one awesome plane...incredible power for sure....
A beautiful restoration.
This has to be one of the best video's. I get goose bumps seeing and hearing these planes. Its like I done this circle before. If you believe that sort of thing. That sharp turn what was 4 or 5 g's thank's for the video was great
Spitfires are beautiful no question. This one appears to be a griffon powered beast. Five bladed propeller and a huge engine gives it a distinctive sound and personality. It’s not to everyone’s taste but it’s still a Spitfire.
First flight in a Spitfire? He had a surprising amount of confidence in the airframe, not to mention his own ability.
The Head of Maths at a school I worked at in Oxford in the 1980's was a Spitfire Pilot during the war. We could never get him to talk about it though, which is completely understandable, given the horrendous circumstances and significant losses of fighter pilot colleagues. A really good book about the development of the Spitfire and accounts from pilots, is 'Spitfire manual 1940', by Dilip Sarkar. My son bought me a copy this year for my 70th birthday, it's a compelling read about the context of the times and the part the Spitfire and support teams played.
Wonderful first flight! So powerful and fast. Thank you for the video, Eric. Top
Hi Yes it is the most beautiful fighter ever built lucky man you take good care of her .
Enjoy every second my farther worked on these and many more aircraft he enlisted in 1939 out break of war he was sent over to France he got caught up in Dunkirk .
Enjoy !
Thanks for the video. That is a wonderful plane, so beautiful, so fast, just so nice!
KUDOS to those hard working men and women that keep these planes flying and by doing so keep our history alive so the millennials can see the beauty and grace that we all fell in love with.
NIce plane and the sound....incredible!!!!!Congratulations from Polish fighters:)
Wow, the sound of htat Griffon engine alone is worth saving this. When my Dad was in the AAF/USAF occupation force in Japan 46-48, there was an RAF squadron manned by Aussies and Indians stationed nearby, and they would make regular visits and high speed passes. He got to sit in once once. Neat machines.
They were Mk 14s, in Japan, similar aircraft, but the PR19 had no guns, photo reconnaissance only
what a beautiful plane. a preserved world history
Simply simply lovely
My favorite! the shape does it all. I read a book about a spitfire pilot who joined a squadron in Holland, the Sqn Leader asked him " how many hours have you got with the XIX, None sir, this is my first. OMG!! was the reply.
One Lucky Guy.... I think the Spit´s are the most beautifull WW2 Aircraft ever build.... and that´s comes from a german ;-)
I hope she will fly forever... and show littel kid´s this heritage of flying in the 40´s 50´s
What a huge responsibility to maiden this beauty.
Être pilote,c'est un art. ...surtout sur ce genre d'avion. ....
A great part of yesterday history for England,Mitchell did a great job in the design.
Love the lines of this plane. I have a 32cc RC Spit that I am just finishing up.........Should be flying in a few days!
One of the most beautiful airplanes ever built
That smile said it all good luck with your new 19. Whoa. :o)
First flight? Like a BOSS!
Absolutely awesome.
Un avion, un mythe un moteur qui ronronne comme une symphonie. magnifique.
Siempre me encantaron las líneas de ese avión caza Inglés y su gran versatilidad. Creo que el Spitfire, ó "escupe fuego" en traducción a mi idioma, fue superior a todos los cazas, por su desempeño en la segunda guerra mundial. Hermosas pasadas rasantes!!. Muy lindas imágenes... Gracias!!!
I have never seen ANY aircraft engine start as quickly as this one. Turn the switch and BAM, it's running.
Lord that is a beautiful plane!
Very very good 👍👍👍 excelent que suerte estar piloteando un avión que hizo historia
Just awesome... What else can you say!
One of my favourites Eric. Bravo!
There's something about a beautiful killing machine. Whether it's Japanese sword, a Spitfire or an old English longbow. The combination of death and ascetics is intoxicating.
That might raise an eyebrow, next time you're bearing your soul on the psychiatrist's couch...........
Salut mon Charbo! Toujours fighter ! Superbe avion, superbe vol et, bien sûr, super Pilote 😎
Papy du Grand Corse.
When I first saw the paintjob I was thinking "that looks like a Spit 16 instead of a 19". But the canopy was the first dead giveaway this was most certainly a PR19. All things considered, I like it in this Far East RAF Spit 16 paintjob. It kind of beats seeing the bird in PRU blue (even if that would be the accurate coloring). Nice film and NICE flight!
I am American but let me tell you, THIS is the most beautiful warbird EVER created I fell in love with them the first time I saw one when I was a kid...to all you Brits out there...THANK YOU!!! But you must give some credit to the ME 109 it sure took long enough to match it right? The second most beautiful was the Italian made Veltro...damn fione looking machine and of course the Russian Yak 3, I tell you if they could make these for the masses to enjoy they would sell out of them, with of course original engines.
Spitfire!! The superlative,and iconic, British fighter of WWII!! 🥰👍
It has a P-51 spinner but this is also a chance to say thank you to the free French pilots that helped saved Britain! God bless you!
18tangles To all the men who had the brains to understand that Hitler and his Nazi party wanted to press his boot over the throat of all free living people! British, Russian, Irish, Poles, Czechs, Free French, Hungarian, American, Canadian, Australian, New Zealand , including the whole world who likes to breathe fresh air! If there is a Nation that I have forgot to mention, I apologise, Freedom and peace to you all!
Chris Woodward P51 spinner?? are you sure!? And arent they Aussie markings too guys??
18tangles
Yip thought so, sorry to sound like a prun but the later Griffon powered Spit had a massive spinner, very noticably longer than the 'Stangs spinner (though they were big too).
+TheFunkhouser Also, Mustangs did not have five blade propellors.
+TheFunkhouser: The markings are for South East Asia. This is a Mark 19. The paint job is for a Mark FRXIVE, which would have had guns as well as the camera.
From 1941 most British fighters had 20mm cannons (we had some 20mm cannon-armed Spitfire during the later part of the Battle of Britain in 1940 but the early cannons were prone to jamming)
The first mass-produced mark of Spitfire to have cannons was the Mk Vb which had 2x 20mm cannons (1 in each wing) and 4x .303 mgs (2 in each wing). Hawker Hurricane Mk IIc, the Hawker Typhoon Mk Ib and the Hawker Tempest all had 4x 20mm cannons (2 in each wing)
Just an FYI for RR Merlin fans. The engine in Mk 19 spits was a RR Griffon, which sounds a bit raspier than the Merlin. I don't know this aircraft but it looks like and sounds like it has a Griffon engine, which would be right for the mark.
The Griffon engines rotated anti-clockwise , which this engine is doing.
The Griffon was bigger than the Merlin by about 7 liters of displacement. You feel the Griffon as well as hear it. It has a ground shaking, basso profundo roar.
His first flight and it showed on his face. That is one happy guy. Relax, damn
Superbe vidéo ça fait rêver :)
Stunningly good! Thanks!!