Spitfire IX TE294 Walkaround

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24 years 2 months

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Filmed at this years Oshkosh with it's pilot (and forum member) Dave Hadfield: -

Cheers

Paul

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14 years 10 months

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Very informative,, many thanks for that..

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11 years

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I'd forgotten this! Oshkosh was a very busy time for us this year. We had many events -- panel-discussions, 2 fly pasts, film segments, and a continuous crowd of very interested spectators.

We also won Reserve Grand Champion Warbird, and the Phoenix Award for this aeroplane, plus Gold Wrenches for each trophy, and a Judge's Appreciation. So prepping for that was a big deal.

At this stage of the summer I'd completed 900 miles of what would end up being a 6000-mile journey (to Comox, on Vancouver Island, and back). Which I completed last week. The aircraft performed superbly. Only very minor snags.

As for the film, I use the phrase Dzus Fasteners a lot. It isn't strictly true, since that's a type of fastener which is American and proprietal. The Supermarine fasteners are different, although the purpose and general function is the same.

Dave

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24 years 2 months

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Great video Paul, thanks for sharing.

Very informative clip Dave, very watchable and understandable. Interesting to hear about the extra internal fuel tanks, does this mean she basically has a Photo-Recce type wing with dummy cannon?

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11 years 2 months

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Ant H.
The wing for this Spitfire was built by Vintage Wings of Canada in Gatineau Quebec. Primarily by Ken Wood.
It is not a photo recce wing. It is a custom modification that uses the real estate, that would ordinarily be occupied by the weapons, to house fuel tanks to provide extra range.
I think it is safe to say that all (regularly flown)Spitfires are currently equipped with dummy armament.

Andy

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24 years 2 months

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Thanks for the reply Andy, certainly sounds like a very sensible mod when you consider the transit distances between N American show venues. Has this mod been done with any other restored Spits?

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Has this mod been done with any other restored Spits?

It has Ant.

Basically the same modification used for the MK.IX trainer, fitting tanks (about 25/27 Imp gallons per side from memory depending on the installation) in the redundant cannon bays.

MH434 had it done under Tim Davies ownership, whilst ML417 had the mod also, plus PL344 had it done whilst under ARC's care.

(I seem to recall this mod was done under rebuilt for Charles Church, but removed when PPS did some work on the airframe when Kermit Weeks acquired it)

Also PL965 had this mod, as the original leading edge fuel tanks were not fitted during the rebuild.

And a few of the MK.XIV's restored by Historic Flying in the 90's have had it done as well if - SM832 & NH799 I recall correctly.

Cheers

Paul