Guy Martin - Spitfire restoration

[Raging_Bulls]

Since the supply of gate guardians, instructional and stored airframes, etc. has dried up they've been recovering wrecks from Russian forests, lake beds, holes in the ground, whatever they can trace. Even the provenance of such airframes becomes 'thin', especially if they can't find the manufacturers ID plate.
I don't mind all that, they still look and sound great at airshows!

They really should make new ones just for airshows, not to mention races. The majority of those airframes are way beyond their intended lifespan (measured in flying hours, that is) and the cost of keeping them flyable is getting unreasonably high.
If the plans of a certain plane aren't available anymore, they can always reverse-engineer one and scan every single part with a 3D scanner.

Why fly a 40 year old historically significant plane with the risk of crashing it when you can put it in a museum and build an exact replica?

 

[makster]

Re:

I agree.
A 3 or 4 part mini-series would have been great.
I'd have love to have seen that airframe being made on the IOW, and an hour alone on the engine would have been amazing!
I suppose there was no budget left after making I'm a wannabe celebrity ice-dancing singer, get my cakes out of here :roll:

 

[The History Man]

Did somebody mention cake?

 

[Mike Muz]

Re:

Yes it was a bit of a let down when the complete engine turned up . Then that £150, 000 prop. Now I'd loved to have seen the engineering involved in THAT!
I was also quite shocked at the restrictions on the plane. Fuel for one hour, albeit at up to 350mph and only ammunition for 14 seconds, not a lot is it?
Liked the BMW part though !

 

[highlandsflyer]

Just got time to watch this now, I was very excited by the prospect!

Fred Dibnah would be very proud.

 

[The History Man]

As an ex toolroom apprentice was wonderful to see the craftsmanship and attention to detail down to a couple of tenths. More of a reconstruction than a restoration though. Beautiful machine.

 

[Mike Muz]

Re:

I also recorded it so that I can watch it at a later date and feel more positive about my latest pos bike frame restoration. The Kyle effect I call it !

Mike

 

[highlandsflyer]

Well I loved it, and would have been happy if it had been a six part series, rather than so concise.

Very impressive.

In my view, such a restoration need not have one atom of the original to still be that.

It is to do with spec.

Very damn impressive, and Guy Martin is a modern British treasure. Spot on!

 

[chrisv40]

Well I loved it, and would have been happy if it had been a six part series, rather than so concise.

Very impressive.

In my view, such a restoration need not have one atom of the original to still be that.

It is to do with spec.

Very damn impressive, and Guy Martin is a modern British treasure. Spot on!

MY thoughts exactly so a massive +1!

 

[boxxer]

Re: Re:

and an hour alone on the engine would have been amazing!quote]

I have a few tools at my folks that my Grandfather used when he was working on the Merlins during the war.

He used to tell stories about high polished, no armour Spitfires with "fast" props that were used as recon planes over the occupied territories - working on those was better than on the run of the mill Merlins / spitfires apparently.

He didnt talk a lot about his time working on them but he did say that Spitfires with "gremlins / griffons" painted on the sides rarely ran smoothly or came home intact....